Section 611.884  Required Additional Health Information

a)         All reports must prominently display the following language:  "Some people may be more vulnerable to contaminants in drinking water than the general population.  Immuno-compromised persons such as persons with cancer undergoing chemotherapy, persons who have undergone organ transplants, people with HIV/AIDS or other immune system disorders, some elderly, and infants can be particularly at risk from infections.  These people should seek advice about drinking water from their health care providers.  USEPA or Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guidelines on appropriate means to lessen the risk of infection by Cryptosporidium and other microbial contaminants are available from the USEPA Safe Drinking Water Hotline (800-426-4791)."

b)         A supplier that detects arsenic above 0.005 mg/L and up to and including 0.010 mg/L must do the following:

1)         The supplier must include in its report a short informational statement about arsenic, using the following language:  "While your drinking water meets USEPA's standard for arsenic, it does contain low levels of arsenic.  USEPA's standard balances the current understanding of arsenic's possible health effects against the costs of removing arsenic from drinking water.  USEPA continues to research the health effects of low levels of arsenic, which is a naturally-occurring mineral known to cause cancer in humans at high concentrations and is linked to other health effects such as skin damage and circulatory problems."; or

2)         The supplier may write its own educational statement, but only in consultation with the Agency.

c)         A supplier that detects nitrate at levels above 5 mg/L, but below the MCL, must do the following:

1)         The supplier must include a short informational statement about the impacts of nitrate on children, using the following language:  "Nitrate in drinking water at levels above 10 ppm is a health risk for infants of less than six months of age.  High nitrate levels in drinking water can cause blue baby syndrome. Nitrate levels may rise quickly for short periods of time because of rainfall or agricultural activity.  If you are caring for an infant you should ask advice from your health care provider"; or

2)         The CWS supplier may write its own educational statement, but only in consultation with the Agency.

d)         Every report must include the following lead-specific information:

1)         A short informational statement about lead in drinking water and its effects on children.  The statement must include the following information:

Lead can cause serious health problems, especially for pregnant women and young children.  Lead in drinking water is primarily from materials and components associated with service lines and home plumbing. [NAME OF SUPPLIER] is responsible for providing high quality drinking water and removing lead pipes, but cannot control the variety of materials used in plumbing components in your home.  You share the responsibility for protecting yourself and your family from the lead in your home plumbing.  You can take responsibility by identifying and removing lead materials within your home plumbing and taking steps to reduce your family's risk.  Before drinking tap water, flush your pipes for several minutes by running your tap, taking a shower, doing laundry or a load of dishes.  You can also use a filter certified by an American National Standards Institute accredited certifier to reduce lead in drinking water.  If you are concerned about lead in your water, you may wish to have your water tested, contact [NAME OF UTILITY and CONTACT INFORMATION]. Information on lead in drinking water, testing methods, and steps you can take to minimize exposure is available at http://www.epa.gov/safewater/lead.

2)         A supplier may write its own educational statement, but only in consultation with the Agency.

e)         A CWS supplier that detects TTHM above 0.080 mg/L, but below the MCL in Section 611.312, as an annual average, monitored and calculated under the provisions of former Section 611.680, must include the health effects language prescribed by Appendix A of this Part.

BOARD NOTE:  Former Section 611.680 originally derived from 40 CFR 141.30(a) and (b).  USEPA removed 40 CFR 141.30 in its entirety in 2006.  The Board repealed former Section 611.680 in 2012.  The references to former Section 611.680 in this subsection (e) relate to use of existing monitoring data collected under those provisions as they existed before their repeal.

BOARD NOTE:  This Section derives from 40 CFR 141.154.

(Source:  Amended at 47 Ill. Reg. 16486, effective November 2, 2023)