Issuance and Removal of Do Not Use Water Orders

In accordance with Massachusetts General Laws Chapter 111, Section 160, "the department may ... make rules and regulations and issue such orders as in its opinion may be necessary to prevent the pollution and to secure the sanitary protection of all such waters used as sources of water supply and to ensure the delivery of a fit and pure water supply to all consumers." The MassDEP policy 87-06, Boil Water Orders, Do Not Drink Order, Do Not Use Orders located at http://www.mass.gov/dep/water/laws/policies.htm describes the procedures used when, in the judgment of the MassDEP, a Do Not USE Water order may be issued to respond to a threat to the public from the presence of chemical or radiological or unknown contamination when there is risk from inhalation, skin irritation or flammability.

If you have questions on this information or need to issue a DO NOT USE WATER order please contact your regional MassDEP office:

During Business Hours		After Business Hours/Weekends/Holidays
Regional Office	Phone Number	MassDEP 24 Hour Emergency Number
Western	413-784-1100	1-888-304-1133
Central	508-792-7650
Northeast	978-694-3200
Southeast	508-946-2700
Boston	617-292-5770

The MassDEP Drinking Water Program uses the following minimum procedures when deciding to issue a DO NOT USE WATER Order:

I. Deficiencies Requiring a Do Not Use Water Order

Do Not Use orders are necessary when MassDEP is concerned about chemical or radiological contamination in a water supply that meets any of the following criteria:

a) the contaminant and or its concentration is unknown or the contaminant and concentration is known but if ingested would present an unacceptable short term risk to public health and/or

b) the contaminant is potentially hazardous through other modes and characteristics like inhalation and flammability.

Examples of situations which may present a threat to public health and require the issuance of a Do Not USE order include, but are not limited to, the following:

• Use of Water of Unknown Water Quality, when non-specific chemical contamination is suspected (e.g., unknown water quality may result from vandalism or suspected terrorism to water pumping station, treatment plant, storage tank, distribution system; or bulk delivery of inappropriate chemical to WTF)
  
• Chemical MCL, Health Advisory Violation, or Other Chemical Hazard (e.g., water treatment chemical overfeed)
  
• Credible threats to a water supply or system

II. Providing Public Notification

When a Public Water System is issued a Do Not Use Water order the system shall immediately notify consumers or at least within 24 hours of its issuance.  Notification shall be made with the attached Do Not Use Water notice or other notices generated by the MassDEP.  Any modifications to the notice must be approved by the MassDEP prior to distribution. Notification may be made through radio, television or a daily newspaper for community systems where hand delivery is impractical. In some instances the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) may require additional public notification.

III. Removing a Do Not Use Water Order

1.Correction of Deficiency

A Do Not Use Water order can be removed from a public water system when MassDEP determines that correction of deficiency and satisfactory sampling is completed.

Do Not Use Water (for any purpose) Deficiency Corrective Action
Deficiency	Minimum Corrective Action
Unknown water quality	Satisfactory sampling results in compliance with MCL or MassDEP health advisory. Compliance with other appropriate actions requested by MassDEP. E.g., cross connection survey, monitoring wells results.
Potential or actual chemical or radiological contamination
Equipment failure	Repair or replacement of equipment and satisfactory sampling results

2. Do Not Use Water Order Samples

The required number, type and location of samples taken to lift a "Do Not Use Water Order" shall be determined by the MassDEP and, at a minimum, representative of the distribution system affected by the Do Not Use Water Order.  All required sample results must be below all standards set by MassDEP in order to remove the Do Not Use Water Order and represent the water served to all consumers.

Do Not Use Water Order Template: MS Word 71.5 KB | PDF 291 KB