Lead in Drinking Water Communication Materials
For Minnesota Public Water Systems

Communicating about lead and lead service lines can happen through websites, fact sheets, door-hangers and other tools. Specific materials public water systems will need may vary based on community needs and compliance requirements. Customers are particularly interested in understanding risk, testing results, and reducing exposure to lead from lead service line and home plumbing materials.

Property owners need information about existing lead service lines and will need an explanation of responsibilities for repair, the type of material of lead service line (such as lead, status unknown, or galvanized requiring replacement), and resources to assist with replacement. Every community and public water system will be different, so materials need to be customized for customers by considering how information is delivered.

The Lead and Copper Rule Revisions specify required communication components and health effects language that must be used in the Code of Federal Regulations.

Translated communication materials

Public water systems with a large portion of non-English speaking customers may need to make their notifications available in multiple languages.

Translation service resources:

• The Minnesota Department of Administration has group purchasing contracts for translation services available through its Minnesota Office of State Procurement: Cooperative Purchasing Venture (CPV) Eligibility. State, county, and local governmental agencies may be eligible to use these contracts to arrange for translation work.
• The Upper Midwest Translators and Interpreters Association is a chapter of the American Translators Association (ATA). UMTIA's mission is to promote quality and professionalism in the field of translating and interpreting in Minnesota, Wisconsin, Iowa, South Dakota, and North Dakota. They have resources for finding local translation services.

Templates for Community public water supply compliance notifications

Communication following an action level exceedance

Community public water systems can refer to Lead and Copper Public Education for required public education for lead and/or copper following an action level exceedance. This includes templates for different types of communication that could be modified to support other communication needs.

Templates for Noncommunity public water supply compliance notifications

If you are a Noncommunity public water system with questions regarding communicating to your customer about lead, please contact HEALTH.nonCommunityLeadAndCopper@state.mn.us. MDH provides required templates directly to Noncommunity public water systems for use after inventories have been completed.

Resources

The following materials are resources public water systems can use for ideas and/or modify to provide additional communication to customers. Reach out to MDH staff if your water system has materials you would like to share with other water systems.

• MDH | Lead Service Line Inventory Information Brochure Template (Word)
  PWS can use the brochure template to create a custom communication about their lead service line inventory and/or lead service line replacement process.
• MDH | Drinking Water Risk Communication Toolkit
  Follow the communication steps to create communication materials that work for your system and community.
• American Water Works Association | Lead Communications
  Promotes frequent and transparent communication about lead and lead service lines and offers a toolkit for communication about lead service lines.
• City of St. Paul | Lead Free Saint Paul Regional Water System (SPRWS)
  Saint Paul’s 10 year plan to replace all lead service lines in their service area at no cost to the property owners. Their website contains examples of their communication materials such as details of the program, testing, videos, and factsheets.
• City of Cleveland, Ohio | Door Notice
  The City of Cleveland has a lead awareness campaign. Of note, is their door notice program which informs residents of actions to take following street work. These notices let people know what actions to take such as flushing, using a filter, or collecting a lead sample.