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Executive Summary
The Right-to-Know Working Group of the National Drinking Water Advisory
Council (NDWAC) held its second meeting on March 25 and 26, 1999, at the
Hilton Crystal City. John Trax substituted for Jim Dunlap on March 25
only. Lynn Thorp substituted for Cyndi Roper on both days. All other members
attended both days of the meeting.
I. BACKGROUND:
The NDWAC Right-to-Know Working Group held its first meeting September
24 and 25, 1998, followed by a conference call on November 4. The group's
recommendations on actions EPA should take to help implement the public
information and public involvement provisions of the Safe Drinking Water
Act were presented to the full NDWAC at its November 1998 meeting {link
to NDWAC meeting report here} The working group recommended:
- Principles to support the development of all public outreach products
on drinking water
-
- Principles to support the development of public materials providing
further information on the Consumer Confidence Reports (CCRs)
- Specific materials which would be most useful to helping multiples
audiences expect and understand the drinking water information which
will be made available to the public over the next year.
II. MAJOR ISSUES RAISED AND ADDRESSED AT THE MEETING:
Materials drafted to support Consumer Confidence Reports, as
recommended to EPA by NDWAC in November 1998.
The working group reviewed several web-based and print draft documents,
which EPA prepared in response to recommendations from NDWAC and others.
Materials included:
- general answers to basic questions consumers are likely to ask after
they read their Consumer Confidence Reports
-
- pointers to where to go for more detailed information in those major
areas
-
- an overview of the opportunities for the public to get involved in
the drinking water program at the local, state, and national levels
-
- quick reference pointers to available and forthcoming drinking water
data.
Working group members used the following questions to review the materials:
- is the information presented clearly?
- are the products useful?
- would you use them in your own work, and how?
- are there still gaps remaining in the information?
- how do they stack up against the principles this group recommended
for all products?
ACTION:
The working group liked
the general form of the materials and recommended edits and additions
to them. One major recommendation is that EPA develop additional information
on health effects of contaminants, as well as information on CCRs targeted
specifically to health care providers. EPA will take working group recommendations
into account as final versions are produced.
Public Service Announcements
The Working Group's highest priority recommendation at its first meeting
(fall, 1998) was that EPA should provide materials that would let the
public know that Consumer Confidence Reports are coming. Public service
announcements (PSAs) were identified as one major product needed soon.
EPA has committed funds to developing PSAs, and asked working group members
for their recommendations on message, target audiences, and distribution
mechanisms.
ACTIONS:
The working group agreed
that there are at least two major messages which could be developed for
PSAs: Consumer Confidence Reports, and drinking water awareness generally,
including the need for source water protection. The group recommended
that a set of PSAs be developed and distributed by mid-summer 1999 to
get out the message that CCRs are coming. A subgroup of members will work
with EPA over the next couple of months to help develop the PSAs.
Distribution of Materials and Establishing Partnerships at the
Local Level
Working group members discussed ways to get information to the public,
including ways that they could use the information in their own communities.
Members shared lessons learned from working with the public on drinking
water awareness, and suggested new ways that they and others could help
prepare the public to receive, understand, and act appropriately on Consumer
Confidence Reports.
ACTION:
EPA will share suggestions
among working group members and others. Working group members will work
within their communities to "get the word out."
Evaluation
Working group members discussed ways to evaluate materials created to
help various audiences understand and use drinking water information found
in their CCRs and other places. Group members suggested various methods
of evaluation, including: formal evaluation methods such as focus groups
or beta testing; informal feedback at conferences; and making comment
boxes available on the home page.
ACTIONS:
Several working group
members volunteered to use their own organizations or citizen advisory
groups as evaluation mechanisms over the next couple of months. EPA will
explore evaluation options to use with information available on the internet,
as well as for print products.
Public Notification Rule
EPA presented information on the statutory requirements for public notification
in the case of immediate threat to health from drinking water contamination,
and asked the working group for advice on including public notification
information in materials prepared to support CCRs.
ACTION:
The working group recommended
including public notification language in several areas of draft materials.
Linkages with NDWAC Working Group on Health Care Provider Outreach
and Education
ACTION:
Members identified a subgroup,
who will serve as representatives from the Right-to-Know Working Group
to the Health Care Provider Working Group. The group also recommended
that NDWAC:
- advise EPA that all materials prepared to support CCRs pursuant to
the recommendations of the Right-to-Know Working Group be provided to
health care providers specifically, in addition to the general public
- advise EPA to ask the Health Care Provider Working Group for advice
on the best ways to distribute this information to health care providers
Safe Drinking Water Act 25th Anniversary Futures Forum
EPA shared with working group members a list of the major questions for
discussion that will feed into a Safe Drinking Water Act 25th
Anniversary Futures Forum on December 16, 1999, along with a current calendar
of conferences and meetings at which these questions will be discussed.
ACTION:
Working group members
suggested additional conferences and meetings which could be used to contribute
to the SDWA 25 Futures discussion. Several working group members have
already used their own association or other meetings to host SDWA 25 futures
discussions.
III. NEXT STEPS:
Working group recommendations will be presented to NDWAC at its meeting
during the first week of May.
The next working group meeting will be held in fall, 1999.
IV. PUBLIC COMMENT
There were no public comments offered on either day of the meeting.
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