Water Toolkit
Communication Types
- Everyday Communications
- Well-Known Issue Communications
- Emerging Issue Communications
- Crisis Communications
Communication Tools
Related Sites
Environmental Health Division
Drinking Water Risk Communication Toolkit
Emerging Issue Communications
- Inform and help the community understand how to prevent or address a risk that is new or not well-known.
- Plan communication strategies that can be implemented over time or immediately.
- Consult with Drinking Water Protection staff at MDH on planned communications.
Communications for different scenarios
Increasing awareness about contaminants of emerging concern
Share information about how contaminants of emerging concern can enter the environment and drinking water sources. Provide actions that community members can take to limit pollution from contaminants of emerging concern.
Detection of a contaminant that affects a small segment of the population
Provide actions that people can take to prevent or lower exposure if possible. Provide clear directions, guidance, and resources where people can look for more information.
Provide clear messaging and information to help the community understand which populations have greater health risks, and which have lower risks.
Examples include:
- Manganese contaminant information for bottle-fed infants and infants that drink water.
- PFAS contaminant information for pregnant women (fetuses) and bottle-fed infants.
- TCE contaminant information for pregnant women (fetuses) and young children.
One-time monitoring efforts and detection of unregulated contaminants
Consult with Drinking Water Protection staff at MDH to understand what actions - if any - need to be taken.
Consider providing information about detections of unregulated contaminants in the Consumer Confidence Report. MDH staff can help provide information and messaging about unregulated contaminants, which are also available on the webpage A-Z Index of Contaminants in Water.
Minnesota’s public water systems are not required to meet health-based guidance values. Public water systems can use health-based guidance as benchmarks or indicators of potential concern. Some public water suppliers may strive to meet health-based guidance for contaminants for which it is possible and cost effective.
- Local newspaper
- Consumer Confidence Report
- Bill stuffer, newsletter, or other mailing
- MDH information sheet with contaminant information
- Link to MDH, US EPA websites
- Add FAQ to your website
- Post on social media: Facebook (most used), Twitter
- Good for quick things, time-sensitive notices, engagement (questions/comments)
- News releases
- Participate in or present at meetings and events (e.g. city council meetings, community events, home shows, business expos)
- St. Cloud PFAS Story Map: A comprehensive source of PFAS information for the city of St. Cloud.
- New Brighton Drinking Water Updates: Provides information about the discovery and management of an emerging contaminant.
- Contaminant of Emerging Concern found in New Brighton's Water (PDF), Press Release issued April 17, 2015.
- Important Announcement regarding New Brighton's Water (PDF), Letter Sent to New Brighton Residents and Businesses – April 16, 2015.
- FAQ: 1,4-dioxane (PDF), August 2016.
- New Brighton Community Letter (PDF) – Update sent on March 13, 2017.
- Bemidji City Staff quotes from the Lakeland Public TV Article on May 23, 2017: Health Advisory issued For Elevated Chemical Levels in Bemidji.