Illinois Administrative Code › Title 35 - ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION › Part 611 - PRIMARY DRINKING WATER STANDARDS › Subpart G - LEAD AND COPPER › Section 611.355 - Public Education and Supplemental Monitoring and Mitigation

Current through Register Vol. 48, No. 28, July 12, 2024
A supplier exceeding the lead action level based on tap water
				  samples under Section
				  611.356 must deliver the public
				  education materials subsection (a) requires under subsection (b). A supplier
				  exceeding the lead action level must sample the tap water of any customer
				  requesting sampling under subsection (c). A small CWS or NTNCWS supplier
				  electing to implement POU devices as a small supplier compliance flexibility
				  option under Section 611.363 must provide public
				  education materials as subsection (j) requires to inform users how to properly
				  use POU devices. A supplier must deliver a consumer notice of lead tap water
				  monitoring results to persons the supplier serves at each site that the
				  supplier samples, as subsection (d) specifies. A supplier with lead, galvanized
				  requiring replacement, or lead status unknown service lines, as defined in
				  Section 611.354(a)(4),
				  must deliver public education materials to persons served through these service
				  lines as subsections (e) through (g) specify. A CWS supplier must conduct
				  annual outreach to the Illinois Department of Public Health and local health
				  agencies as subsection (i) provides. A CWS supplier serving more than 10,000
				  persons failing to meet its annual lead service line replacement goal under
				  Section 611.354(f) must
				  conduct outreach activities as subsection (h) specifies.
a) Content of Written Public Education
				Materials
1) Community Water Systems and
				Non-Transient Non-Community Water Systems. A CWS or NTNCWS supplier must
				include the following elements in printed materials (e.g., brochures and
				pamphlets) in the same order as listed in subsections (a)(1)(A) through
				(a)(1)(G). In addition, the supplier must use the verbatim language in
				subsections (a)(1)(A), (a)(1)(B), and (a)(1)(F), except for replacing the text
				in brackets with the system-specific information. Any additional information a
				supplier presents must be consistent with the information in subsections
				(a)(1)(A), through (a)(1)(G), and the supplier must present the additional
				information in plain language that the general public can understand. The
				supplier must submit all written public education materials to the Agency prior
				to delivery. A supplier may change the mandatory language in subsections
				(a)(1)(A) and (a)(1)(B) only as the Agency approves in a SEP.
A) IMPORTANT INFORMATION ABOUT LEAD IN YOUR
				DRINKING WATER. [INSERT NAME OF SUPPLIER] found elevated levels of lead in
				drinking water in some homes/buildings. Lead can cause serious health problems,
				especially for pregnant women and young children. Please read this information
				closely to see what you can do to reduce lead in your drinking water.
B) Health Effects of Lead. Exposure to lead
				in drinking water can cause serious health effects in all age groups. Infants
				and children can have decreases in IQ and attention span. Lead exposure can
				lead to new learning and behavior problems or exacerbate existing learning and
				behavior problems. The children of women who are exposed to lead before or
				during pregnancy can have increased risk of these adverse health effects.
				Adults can have increased risks of heart disease, high blood pressure, kidney
				or nervous system problems.
C)
				Sources of Lead
i) Explain what lead
				is.
ii) Explain possible sources of
				lead in drinking water and how lead enters drinking water. Include information
				on home and building plumbing materials and service lines that may contain
				lead.
iii) Discuss other important
				sources of lead exposure in addition to drinking water (e.g., paint).
BOARD NOTE: The supplier must use text providing the
				  information this subsection (a)(1)(C) describes.
D) Discuss the steps the consumer can take to
				reduce exposure to lead in drinking water.
i)
				Encourage running the water to flush out the lead.
ii) Explain concerns with using hot water
				from the tap and specifically caution against the use of hot water for
				preparing baby formula.
iii)
				Explain that boiling water does not reduce lead levels.
iv) Discuss other options consumers can take
				to reduce exposure to lead in drinking water, such as alternative sources or
				water treatment.
v) Suggest that
				parents have their child's blood tested for lead.
BOARD NOTE: The supplier must use text providing the
				  information this (a)(1)(D) describes.
E) Explain why there are elevated levels of
				lead in the supplier's drinking water (if known) and what the supplier is doing
				to reduce the lead levels in homes and buildings in this area.
BOARD NOTE: The supplier must use text providing the
				  information this (a)(1)(E) describes.
F) For more information, call us at [INSERT
				THE SUPPLIER'S NUMBER] [(IF APPLICABLE), or visit our Web site at [INSERT THE
				SUPPLIER'S WEB SITE HERE]]. For more information on reducing lead exposure
				around your home/building and the health effects of lead, visit USEPA's Web
				site at
www.epa.gov/lead
or contact your
				health care provider.
G)
				Information on Lead Service Lines. A supplier having lead service lines must
				discuss opportunities to replace lead service lines and explain how a consumer
				may access the supplier's lead service line inventory to determine whether the
				consumer has a lead service line. The supplier must include information on
				programs providing financing solutions to assist property owners in replacing
				their portion of a lead service line, with a statement that the water system
				must replace the supplier-owned portion of a lead service line when the
				property owner notifies the supplier that the consumer will replace the
				property owners portion of the lead service line.