179 Neb. Admin. Code, ch. 4, § 010
Community water systems that exceed the fluoride secondary maximum contaminant level (SMCL) of 2 mg/L as specified in 179 NAC 2-002.04A (determined by the last single sample taken in accordance with 179 NAC 3-005), but do not exceed the maximum contaminant level (MCL) of 4 mg/L for fluoride (as specified in 179 NAC 2-002.04A) must provide the public notice in 179 NAC 4-010.03 to persons served. Public notice must be provided as soon as practical but no later than 12 months from the day the water system learns of the exceedance. A copy of the notice must also be sent to the Department and to all new billing units and new customers at the time service begins. The public water system must repeat the notice at least annually for as long as the SMCL is exceeded. If the public notice is posted, the notice must remain in place for as long as the SMCL is exceeded, but in no case less than seven days (even if the exceedance is eliminated). On a case-by-case basis, the Director may require an initial notice sooner than 12 months and repeat notices more frequently than annually.
The form and manner of the public notice (including repeat notices) must follow the requirements for a Tier 3 public notice in 179 NAC 4-006.03 and 4-006.04 items 1 and 3.
The notice must contain the following language, including the language necessary to fill in the blanks:
This is an alert about your drinking water and a cosmetic dental problem that might affect children under nine years of age. At low levels, fluoride can help prevent cavities, but children drinking water containing more than two milligrams per liter (mg/L) of fluoride may develop cosmetic discoloration of their permanent teeth (dental fluorosis). The drinking water provided by your community water system [name] has a fluoride concentration of [insert value] mg/L.
Dental fluorosis, in its moderate or severe forms, may result in a brown staining and/or pitting of the permanent teeth. This problem occurs only in developing teeth, before they erupt from the gums. Children under nine should be provided with alternative sources of drinking water or water that has been treated to remove the fluoride to avoid the possibility of staining and pitting of their permanent teeth. You may also want to contact your dentist about proper use by young children of fluoride-containing products. Older children and adults may safely drink the water.
Drinking water containing more than 4 mg/L of fluoride (the Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services standard) can increase your risk of developing bone disease. Your drinking water does not contain more than 4 mg/L of fluoride, but we're required to notify you when we discover that the fluoride levels in your drinking water exceed 2 mg/L because of this cosmetic dental problem.
For more information, please call [name of water system contact] of [name of community water system] at [phone number]. Some home water treatment units are also available to remove fluoride from drinking water. To learn more about available home water treatment units, you may call NSF International at 1-877-867-3435.
179 Neb. Admin. Code, ch. 4, § 010