Section 116455 Of Article 5. Public Notification From California Health And Safety Code >> Division 104. >> Part 12. >> Chapter 4. >> Article 5.
116455
. (a) A public water system shall comply with the
requirements of this section within 30 days after it is first
informed of a confirmed detection of a contaminant found in drinking
water delivered by the public water system for human consumption that
is in excess of a maximum contaminant level, a notification level,
or a response level established by the department.
(1) If the public water system is a wholesale water system, then
the person operating the wholesale water system shall notify the
wholesale water system's governing body and the water systems that
are directly supplied with that drinking water. If the wholesale
water system is a water company regulated by the California Public
Utilities Commission, then the wholesale water system shall also
notify the commission. The commission in the exercise of its general
and specific powers to ensure the health, safety, and availability of
drinking water served by the utilities subject to its jurisdiction,
may order further action that is not inconsistent with the standards
and regulations of the department to ensure a potable water supply.
(2) If the public water system is a retail water system, then the
person operating the retail water system shall notify the retail
water system's governing body and the governing body of any local
agency whose jurisdiction includes areas supplied with drinking water
by the retail water system. If the retail water system is a water
company regulated by the California Public Utilities Commission, then
the retail water system shall also notify the commission. The
commission, in the exercise of its general and specific powers to
ensure the health, safety, and availability of drinking water served
by the utilities subject to its jurisdiction, may order further
action that is not inconsistent with the standards and regulations of
the department to ensure a potable water supply.
(b) The notification required by subdivision (a) shall identify
the drinking water source, the origin of the contaminant, if known,
the maximum contaminant level, response level, or notification level,
as appropriate, the concentration of the detected contaminant, and
the operational status of the drinking water source, and shall
provide a brief and plainly worded statement of health concerns.
(c) For purposes of this section, the following terms have the
following meanings:
(1) "Drinking water source" means an individual groundwater well,
an individual surface water intake, or in the case of water purchased
from another water system, the water at the service connection.
(2) "Local agency" means a city or county, or a city and county.
(3) "Notification level" means the concentration level of a
contaminant in drinking water delivered for human consumption that
the department has determined, based on available scientific
information, does not pose a significant health risk but warrants
notification pursuant to this section. Notification levels are
nonregulatory, health-based advisory levels established by the
department for contaminants in drinking water for which maximum
contaminant levels have not been established. Notification levels are
established as precautionary measures for contaminants that may be
considered candidates for establishment of maximum contaminant
levels, but have not yet undergone or completed the regulatory
standard setting process prescribed for the development of maximum
contaminant levels and are not drinking water standards.
(4) "Response level" means the concentration of a contaminant in
drinking water delivered for human consumption at which the
department recommends that additional steps, beyond notification
pursuant to this section, be taken to reduce public exposure to the
contaminant. Response levels are established in conjunction with
notification levels for contaminants that may be considered
candidates for establishment of maximum contaminant levels, but have
not yet undergone or completed the regulatory standard setting
process prescribed for the development of maximum contaminant levels
and are not drinking water standards.
(5) "Retail water system" means a public water system that
supplies water directly to the end user.
(6) "Wholesale water system" means a public water system that
supplies water to other public water systems for resale.