Section 290.273 - Required Additional Health Information(a) All reports must prominently display the following language on the first page of the consumer confidence report or in bold print on the second page of the report: "You may be more vulnerable than the general population to certain microbial contaminants, such as Cryptosporidium, in drinking water. Infants, some elderly, or immunocompromised persons such as those undergoing chemotherapy for cancer; those who have undergone organ transplants; those who are undergoing treatment with steroids; and people with HIV/AIDS or other immune system disorders can be particularly at risk from infections. You should seek advice about drinking water from your physician or health care provider. Additional guidelines on appropriate means to lessen the risk of infection by Cryptosporidium are available from the Safe Drinking Water Hotline at (800) 426-4791."(b) A system that detects arsenic levels above 5 micrograms per liter but below the maximum contaminant level (MCL) shall include in its report a short informational statement about arsenic using the following language: "While your drinking water meets EPA's standard for arsenic, it does contain low levels of arsenic. EPA's standard balances the current understanding of arsenic's possible health effects against the costs of removing arsenic from drinking water. EPA continues to research the health effects of low levels of arsenic, which is a mineral known to cause cancer in humans at high concentrations and is linked to other health effects such as skin damage and circulatory problems."(c) A system that detects nitrate at levels above 5 mg/L, but below the MCL shall include a short informational statement about the impacts of nitrate on children using the following language: "Nitrate in drinking water at levels above 10 ppm is a health risk for infants of less than six months of age. High nitrate levels in drinking water can cause blue baby syndrome. Nitrate levels may rise quickly for short periods of time because of rainfall or agricultural activity. If you are caring for an infant, you should ask advice from your health care provider."(d) Systems collecting 20 or more samples that detect lead above the action level in greater than 5.0% of homes sampled shall include a short informational statement about the special impact of lead on children using the following language: "Infants and young children are typically more vulnerable to lead in drinking water than the general population. It is possible that lead levels at your home may be higher than at the homes in the community as a result of materials used in your home's plumbing. If you are concerned about elevated lead levels in your home's water, you may wish to have your water tested and flush your tap for 30 seconds to two minutes before using tap water. Additional information is available from the Safe Drinking Water Hotline at (800) 426-4791."(e) Any water system subject to any or all of subsections (b) - (d) of this section may seek approval from the executive director to write its own alternative educational informational statement.(f) Public water systems that detect total trihalomethanes above 0.080 mg/L as a running annual average shall include health effects language provided in § 290.275(3) of this title (relating to Appendices A - D), Appendix C, paragraph (81).30 Tex. Admin. Code § 290.273
The provisions of this §290.273 adopted to be effective August 21, 2000, 25 TexReg 8730; amended to be effective January 6, 2005, 29 TexReg 12212; amended to be effective January 9, 2008, 33 TexReg 198