Nebraska Administrative Code › Topic - HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES SYSTEM › Title 179 - PUBLIC WATER SYSTEMS › Chapter 4 - PUBLIC NOTIFICATION OF DRINKING WATER VIOLATIONS › Section 179-4-010 - SPECIAL NOTICE FOR EXCEEDANCE OF THE SMCL FOR FLUORIDE

Current through June 17, 2024
010.01 When the
				Special Notice Is To Be Given
Community water systems that exceed the fluoride secondary
				  maximum contaminant level (SMCL) of 2 mg/L as specified in 179 NAC
				  2-002.04A
				  (determined by the last single sample taken in accordance with 179 NAC
				  3-005), but do not exceed the maximum
				  contaminant level (MCL) of 4 mg/L for fluoride (as specified in 179 NAC
				  2-002.04A) must
				  provide the public notice in 179 NAC 4-010.03 to persons served. Public notice
				  must be provided as soon as practical but no later than 12 months from the day
				  the water system learns of the exceedance. A copy of the notice must also be
				  sent to the Department and to all new billing units and new customers at the
				  time service begins. The public water system must repeat the notice at least
				  annually for as long as the SMCL is exceeded. If the public notice is posted,
				  the notice must remain in place for as long as the SMCL is exceeded, but in no
				  case less than seven days (even if the exceedance is eliminated). On a
				  case-by-case basis, the Director may require an initial notice sooner than 12
				  months and repeat notices more frequently than annually.
010.02 Form and Manner of the Special Notice
The form and manner of the public notice (including repeat
				  notices) must follow the requirements for a Tier 3 public notice in 179 NAC
				  4-006.03 and 4-006.04 items 1 and 3.
010.03 Mandatory Language That Must Be
				Contained in the Special Notice
The notice must contain the following language, including the
				  language necessary to fill in the blanks:
This is an alert about your drinking water and a cosmetic
				  dental problem that might affect children under nine years of age. At low
				  levels, fluoride can help prevent cavities, but children drinking water
				  containing more than two milligrams per liter (mg/L) of fluoride may develop
				  cosmetic discoloration of their permanent teeth (dental fluorosis). The
				  drinking water provided by your community water system [name] has a fluoride
				  concentration of [insert value] mg/L.
Dental fluorosis, in its moderate or severe forms, may result
				  in a brown staining and/or pitting of the permanent teeth. This problem occurs
				  only in developing teeth, before they erupt from the gums. Children under nine
				  should be provided with alternative sources of drinking water or water that has
				  been treated to remove the fluoride to avoid the possibility of staining and
				  pitting of their permanent teeth. You may also want to contact your dentist
				  about proper use by young children of fluoride-containing products. Older
				  children and adults may safely drink the water.
Drinking water containing more than 4 mg/L of fluoride (the
				  Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services standard) can increase your
				  risk of developing bone disease. Your drinking water does not contain more than
				  4 mg/L of fluoride, but we're required to notify you when we discover that the
				  fluoride levels in your drinking water exceed 2 mg/L because of this cosmetic
				  dental problem.
For more information, please call [name of water system
				  contact] of [name of community water system] at [phone number]. Some home water
				  treatment units are also available to remove fluoride from drinking water. To
				  learn more about available home water treatment units, you may call NSF
				  International at 1-877-867-3435.