2013 Maryland Code
ENVIRONMENT
§ 9-410 - Notice to be given by suppliers of water

§9-410.

(a) Each supplier of water shall give notice to the Department and the persons served by the system and shall give written notice to noncollegiate educational institutions, public schools, family child care homes, and child care centers whenever the system:

(1) Fails to comply with an applicable maximum contaminant level, treatment technique requirement, or testing procedure prescribed by a drinking water regulation or fails to perform required monitoring;

(2) Is subject to variance granted for an inability to meet a maximum contaminant level;

(3) Is subject to an exemption;

(4) Fails to comply with the requirements set by a variance or exemption; or

(5) Has concentration levels of an unregulated contaminant for which the State may require notice due to the risk to public health.

(b) Each notice shall:

(1) State the nature and possible health effects that may result;

(2) Be provided to the persons served by the water system;

(3) Be issued in a timely manner by means of radio, television, newspaper of general circulation, written notice, or other means acceptable to the Department; and

(4) Be in a form readily understandable by the affected population.

(c) (1) By rule or regulation, the Secretary shall adopt notice requirements to meet the requirements of this section.

(2) The rules and regulations shall establish notification standards and procedures that include the manner, frequency, form, and content of the notices.

(d) For violations with the potential to have serious adverse effects on human health as a result of short-term exposure, the supplier of water shall provide notice as soon as practicable, but not later than 24 hours after the occurrence of the violation.

(e) For violations other than the violations described in subsection (d) of this section, the supplier of water shall provide written notice to each person served by the system in an annual report, or by mail not later than 1 year after the violation.

(f) (1) Each nontransient noncommunity water system, including those systems that primarily provide bottled water, shall:

(i) At a frequency determined by the Department, test the water provided by the system for the presence of methyl tertiary butyl ether; and

(ii) Report the test results to the Department.

(2) If a test conducted under this subsection indicates that the level of methyl tertiary butyl ether in the drinking water exceeds the State advisory level, as determined by the Department, the water system shall give notice of that fact to:

(i) The persons regularly served by the water system; and

(ii) If the water system serves a child care center, an elementary or secondary school, or any other facility that regularly serves minors, the parents or legal guardians of all minors regularly served by the water system.