Ohio Administrative Code|Rule 3745-90-06 | Harmful algal blooms - Tier 1 public notification and consumer confidence reports.

                                                
This rule applies to all public water systems,
		including consecutive water systems.
(A) Tier 1 public
		  notification.
(1) A public water system
			 shall issue tier 1 public notification in accordance with rule 3745-81-32 of
			 the Administrative Code when any of the following occur:
(a) A microcystins action level established paragraph
				(A)(1) or (A)(2) in rule 3745-90-02 of the Administrative Code is exceeded in a
				repeat sample collected at the finished water sampling point in accordance with
				rule 3745-90-03 of the Administrative Code, unless the director agrees in
				writing that the timeline for notification may be extended or public
				notification is not necessary, based on extenuating circumstances, until
				additional results are received.
(b) If required by the director based on the results of
				resamples, distribution system samples or daily samples collected in accordance
				with paragraph (A)(4), (B) or (C)(2) of rule 3745-90-03 of the Administrative
				Code.
(c) Failure to conduct resampling or repeat sampling in
				accordance with paragraph (A)(4)(a), (A)(4)(b), (C)(2)(a) or (C)(2)(b) of rule
				3745-90-03 of the Administrative Code, unless the director agrees in writing
				that the timeline for notification may be extended or public notification is
				not necessary.
(2) The public
			 notification shall include applicable content in accordance with paragraph (E)
			 of rule 3745-81-32 of the Administrative Code, the action level exceeded and
			 the standard health effects language in paragraph (C) of this
			 rule.
(3) The director may
			 allow the system to limit distribution of the public notice in accordance with
			 paragraph (A)(2) of rule 3745-81-32 of the Administrative Code.
(4) Unless otherwise
			 specified by the director based on public health and safety considerations,
			 tier 1 public notification shall remain in effect until the following
			 occur:
(a) Microcystins concentrations are below the action level
				in two consecutive samples collected a minimum of twenty-four hours apart at
				the finished water sampling point.
(b) Microcystins concentrations are below the action level
				in one set of samples collected at the distribution sampling
				points.
(B) Consumer confidence
		  report.
Each community public water system which exceeds
		  a microcystins action level established in paragraph (A)(1) or (A)(2) of rule
		  3745-90-02 of the Administrative Code in a sample collected at a finished water
		  sampling point in a daily, resample or repeat sample, or a distribution
		  sampling point collected within their own community water system in accordance
		  with rule 3745-90-03 of the Administrative Code shall include the following in
		  the consumer confidence report required by Chapter 3745-96 of the
		  Administrative Code:
(1) The microcystins
			 action level.
(2) The range of levels
			 detected and highest single measurement of microcystins concentration in
			 samples collected at finished water sampling points and distribution sampling
			 points.
(3) Information regarding
			 the major source of the contaminant: "Produced by some naturally occurring
			 cyanobacteria, also known as blue-green algae, which under certain conditions
			 (i.e., high nutrient concentration and high light intensity) may produce
			 microcystins."
(4) Standard health
			 effects language in paragraph (C) of this rule.
(C) Standard health effects
		  language.
The following standard health effects language
		  shall be used in public notification and consumer confidence reports:
		  "Consuming water containing concentrations of microcystins over the action
		  level may result in abnormal liver function, diarrhea, vomiting, nausea,
		  numbness or dizziness. Children younger than school age, pregnant women,
		  nursing mothers, the elderly, immune-compromised individuals, those with
		  pre-existing liver conditions and those receiving dialysis treatment may be
		  more susceptible than the general population to the health effects of
		  microcystins."