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Oregon Health Authority

Public Notice Templates and Resources

On this page:

Notify Drinking Water Services (DWS) when issuing a boil-water or 
do-not-drink notice at any public water system

Public Notice Templates
Listed below are templates public water systems should use to inform consumers when a drinking water problem occurs. Examples of problems include when the water does not meet a drinking water standard or maximum contaminant level (MCL), the water system fails to test its water, or water treatment is inadequate. Oregon Administrative Rule 333-061-0042 describes the public notice rules, including required content of public notices and methods for delivery.  Templates are available in both MS Word and PDF formats.

Some public notice templates are translated into Spanish language.
Contact DWS if other template translations are needed.



Public notices are divided into three categories based on public health risk:
Tier 1 - Critical/Urgent (must issue within 24 hours)
Tier 2 - Important (must issue within 30 days)
Tier 3 - No immediate concern (must issue within one year)

Send DWS a copy of your public notice and certify delivery to consumers within 10 days of distribution.
Email:dwp.dmce@odhsoha.oregon.gov
Fax: 971-673-0458


Microbiological Contaminant Public Notices
  • Exceeding E. coli MCL boil-water notice (Tier 1): MS Word -or- PDF
  • Exceeding E. coli MCL boil-water notice (Tier 1) in SPANISH: MS Word -or- PDF
  • Loss of system pressure boil-water notice (Tier 1): MS Word -or- PDF
  • Loss of system pressure boil-water notice (Tier 1) in SPANISH: MS Word -or- PDF
  • Failure to complete Level 1 Coliform Investigation or correct sanitary defects (Tier 2): MS Word -or- PDF
  • Failure to complete Level 1 Coliform Investigation or correct sanitary defects (Tier 2) in SPANISH: MS Word -or- PDF
    • Failure to correct sanitary defects after Level 2 Coliform Investigation (Tier 2):
      • Investigation for exceeding E. coli MCL (Tier 2):  MS Word -or- PDF
      • Investigation for repeat Level 1 investigations (Tier 2): MS Word -or- PDF
    • Failure to maintain 4-log treatment of viruses (Tier 2): MS Word -or- PDF
    • Failure to maintain 4-log treatment of viruses (Tier 2) in SPANISH: MS Word -or- PDF
    • No corrective action following E. coli in groundwater source (Tier 2): MS Word -or- PDF
    • Failure to complete seasonal water system start-up procedure (Tier 2): MS Word -or- PDF
    Chemical Contaminant Public Notices
      • Nitrate MCL exceedance (Tier 1): MS Word -or- PDF
      • Nitrate MCL exceedance in SPANISH (Tier 1): MS Word -or- PDF
      • Arsenic MCL exceedance (Tier 2): MS Word -or- PDF
      • Arsenic MCL exceedance in SPANISH (Tier 2): MS Word -or- PDF
      • Arsenic MCL and acute level exceedance (Tier 1): MS Word -or- PDF
      • Arsenic MCL and acute level exceedance in SPANISH (Tier 1): MS Word -or- PDF
      • Chemical or radiological contaminant MCL exceedance (Tier 2): MS Word -or- PDF
      • Disinfection byproducts (TTHM / HAA5) MCL exceedance (Tier 2): MS Word -or- PDF
      • Disinfection byproducts (TTHM / HAA5) MCL exceedance (Tier 2) in SPANISH: MS Word -or- PDF
      Operational, Treatment and Other Public Notices

      • Failure to Report Service Line Inventory Public Notice Template (Tier 2): MS Word -or- PDF
      • Loss of system pressure boil-water notice (Tier 1): MS Word -or- PDF
      • Loss of system pressure boil-water notice (Tier 1) in SPANISH: MS Word -or- PDF
      • Wildfire-related do-not-drink notice (Tier 1): MS Word -or- PDF
      • Turbidity exceeding maximum allowable limit boil-water notice (Tier 1): MS Word -or- PDF
      • Turbidity exceeding maximum allowable limit boil-water notice (Tier 1) in SPANISH: MS Word -or- PDF
      • Turbidity MCL exceeded in more than 5% of samples (Tier 2): MS Word -or- PDF
      • Turbidity MCL exceeded in more than 5% of samples (Tier 2) in SPANISH: MS Word -or- PDF
      • Failure to complete start-up procedures at a seasonal water system: MS Word -or- PDF
      • Failure to correct significant deficiencies following a sanitary survey:
        • For groundwater system (Tier 2): MS Word -or- PDF
        • For surface water/GWUDI system (Tier 2): MS Word -or- PDF
      • Failure to maintain effective disinfection treatment (Tier 2): MS Word -or- PDF
      • Failure to maintain effective disinfection treatment (Tier 2) in SPANISH: MS Word -or- PDF
      • Failure to meet membrane filter performance standard (Tier 2): MS Word -or- PDF
      • Failure to maintain corrosion control treatment for lead (Tier 2): MS Word -or- PDF
      • Failure to maintain corrosion control treatment for lead (Tier 2) in SPANISH: MS Word -or- PDF
      • Failure to maintain corrosion control treatment for copper (Tier 2): MS Word -or- PDF
      • Failure to maintain corrosion control treatment for copper (Tier 2) in SPANISH: MS Word -or- PDF
      • Monitoring requirements were not met (Tier 3): MS Word -or- PDF
      Cyanotoxin Public Notices
      • Drinking water advisory for vulnerable populations (Tier 1): MS Word -or- PDF
      • Drinking water advisory for vulnerable populations in SPANISH (Tier 1): MS Word -or- PDF 
      • Drinking water advisory for all populations (Tier 1): MS Word -or- PDF
      • Drinking water advisory for all populations in SPANISH (Tier 1): MS Word -or- PDF
      Problem Corrected Public Notice
      • Oregon does not require water systems to post a problem corrected notice, but doing so is encouraged for transparency and may help restore consumer confidence.  If you choose to issue one, the following example may be tailored to fit the problem or situation: MS Word -or- PDF

      Lead & Copper Public Education and Consumer Notification

      If lead is detected above the action level 0.015 mg/l, public education must be delivered to consumers.  The following materials contain appropriate wording to meet the notification requirements:

      • "Lead in Drinking Water" public education brochure template
        • For community water systems: MS Word -or- PDF
        • For non-transient non-community water systems: MS Word -or- PDF
      • Lead notification and service line inventory materials notification templates: Public water systems select the template to be used based on action level, individual sample results or material type(s) identified in the service line inventory. Notices can be required within 24 hours or 30 days. Please work with your regulator on type of notice required for your system.
      • Certification form: Water systems must also certify to DWS when individual consumer notification is completed.

      Additional Resources and Guidance