How to Fill Out Michigan EGLE Drinking Water Public Supply Notification + FAQs

Michigan EGLE Drinking Water Public Supply Notification is the formal alert a public water supply must give to its users and to the Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy when a violation, contamination event, or special situation affects drinking water safety. Every owner of a community, non-transient non-community, or transient non-community water supply in Michigan must issue this notice under the Michigan Safe Drinking Water Act (Act 399) and the federal Public Notification Rule at 40 CFR 141 Subpart Q.

Getting this notice wrong carries real weight. EGLE’s most recent compliance summary shows that public notification violations make up roughly 14% of all reported drinking water rule violations statewide each year, and a missed Tier 1 deadline can trigger administrative consent orders, civil fines up to $5,000 per day per violation, and criminal referral under the Act 399 enforcement provisions tracked through the MiEnviro Portal.

Here is what you will learn in this guide:

  • ๐Ÿ“‹ How to read and complete every field on the EGLE Public Notification form correctly the first time
  • โฐ The exact 24-hour, 30-day, and 12-month deadlines that govern Tier 1, Tier 2, and Tier 3 notices
  • ๐Ÿงช The mandatory health-effects language and certification of delivery rules that trip up most operators
  • ๐Ÿซ Three real-world scenarios โ€” a municipal main break, a school lead exceedance, and a non-community E. coli hit
  • ๐Ÿ’ก The mistakes, misconceptions, and edge cases that lead to repeat violations and enforcement action

What the Form Is and Who Must File It

The Michigan EGLE Drinking Water Public Supply Notification is the combined certification and copy-of-notice package that a water supply owner submits to EGLE’s Drinking Water and Environmental Health Division (DWEHD) after issuing a public notice to consumers. The package proves the supply met both the content and the delivery rules in R 325.10410 of the Michigan Administrative Code. EGLE uses the certification to close out the violation in the Safe Drinking Water Information System (SDWIS) and to confirm the supply did not let an acute health risk go unannounced.

Every public water supply in Michigan files this form when triggered. That includes about 1,400 community water supplies, 1,800 non-transient non-community supplies (schools, factories, daycares), and roughly 8,500 transient non-community supplies (campgrounds, restaurants on wells, parks). Owners, operators in charge, and authorized agents may sign, but the supply owner of record in the EGLE inventory carries final legal responsibility.

The form is required after any treatment technique violation, maximum contaminant level (MCL) exceedance, monitoring or reporting violation, variance or exemption, or special situation such as a waterborne disease outbreak. Filers should also use it after a boil water advisory or a Lead and Copper Rule consumer notice. The current revision printed on the EGLE form is EQP5846 (Rev. 11/2024), and operators should always pull the live PDF from the EGLE Drinking Water Forms library before filing.

Before You Start: Documents and Information You Need

Pull these items together before you open the form. EGLE expects every certification to match the underlying violation record exactly, and any mismatch sends the package back for correction.

  • Water Supply Serial Number (WSSN). This 7-digit number identifies your supply in the EGLE drinking water database and must match the WSSN on the violation notice from your district office. A wrong WSSN routes the certification to the wrong supply file and leaves the original violation open.
  • Violation ID and rule citation. Copy the exact violation ID and the federal rule code (for example 2456 โ€” Acute MCL, E. coli) from your EGLE Notice of Violation letter. Without the right code, EGLE cannot match your certification to the open violation in SDWIS.
  • Date of violation discovery. This is the date the lab confirmed the result or the date EGLE notified you, not the sample date. The discovery date starts the 24-hour or 30-day clock.
  • Copy of the notice you delivered to consumers. EGLE requires the actual flyer, letter, bill insert, or web post, with the mandatory health-effects language visible. A paraphrased summary is not acceptable.
  • Method of delivery. Door hangers, direct mail, hand delivery, newspaper, radio, TV, posting, or electronic notice โ€” list every channel you used so EGLE can confirm you reached every person served.
  • Population served and connection count. Pull the current numbers from your annual Sanitary Survey record, since these drive whether you owe a single notice or a multi-channel notice.
  • Lab report or sampling data. Attach the certified lab result that triggered the notice, including chain of custody, so EGLE can verify the contaminant level you reported to consumers.
  • Operator certification number. The certified operator in charge signs in most cases, and the operator number from the EGLE certification roster must appear on the form.
  • Corrective action summary. A brief description of what the supply is doing to fix the underlying problem, since Tier 1 and Tier 2 notices must tell consumers what the supply is doing.

Where to Get the Form and How to Access It

The official PDF lives on the EGLE Drinking Water Forms page under the heading Public Notification. Always download a fresh copy for each event because EGLE updates the mandatory health-effects language whenever EPA revises 40 CFR 141 Appendix A. Using an old version with outdated health language is itself a public notification violation.

Online filers use the MiEnviro Portal to upload the certification and attachments. The portal accepts PDF, JPG, and PNG files up to 25 MB each, gives an immediate confirmation receipt, and routes the package to the correct EGLE district office automatically. Operators who do not yet have a portal account create one through the MiLogin for Business gateway and link it to their WSSN.

Paper filers can request the form by calling their EGLE district office or by emailing EGLE-DWEHD@michigan.gov. Mailed forms go to the district office assigned to your county, not to Lansing headquarters. Operators who issue a Tier 1 notice should still call the district duty officer within 24 hours, even when filing the certification by mail.

Step-by-Step: How to Fill Out the EGLE Public Notification Form Line by Line

Work through the form in the order it appears. Every field maps to a specific data element EGLE pulls into SDWIS, so skipping or guessing on any line creates a mismatch the district office must reconcile.

Box 1: Water Supply Name

This field asks for the legal name of the water supply as it appears in the EGLE inventory. Type the name in title case exactly as it appears on your most recent Sanitary Survey letter, with no abbreviations of words like Township or Village. Maple Grove Township Water System is correct; Maple Grove Twp WS is not. If your supply does business under a trade name, use the legal name on file with EGLE and add the trade name in parentheses. The most common mistake is using the city’s name when the supply is actually owned by a township authority, and that mismatch causes EGLE to route the certification to the wrong owner of record. A frequent misconception is that any reasonable variation works because EGLE will recognize the supply by WSSN, but SDWIS matches on the name field during automated intake and will reject mismatches.

Box 2: Water Supply Serial Number (WSSN)

This 7-digit identifier is the unique key EGLE uses for every supply in Michigan. Enter all seven digits with no dashes, spaces, or leading letters, even if older paperwork shows a hyphen. Maria Lopez, the operator at Maple Grove Township, writes 0234567 in Box 2. If your supply has both a primary and a consecutive WSSN because it buys finished water from a wholesaler, enter the WSSN of the supply that is issuing the notice, not the wholesaler’s. The most common mistake is dropping a leading zero, which causes the certification to attach to a different supply or to fail intake entirely. Many operators believe the WSSN is the same as their public water system ID (PWSID) used by EPA, but Michigan’s WSSN is a state-only number that is embedded inside the federal PWSID rather than identical to it.

Box 3: Violation or Situation Type

This field asks which category of event triggered the notice. Check exactly one box from the list โ€” Acute MCL, Non-Acute MCL, Treatment Technique, Monitoring/Reporting, Variance/Exemption, or Special Notice โ€” using the category EGLE assigned in your Notice of Violation. Carlos Reyes, operating a non-community well at a campground, checks Acute MCL after an E. coli positive. If a single event triggers more than one category, file a separate certification for each, because SDWIS tracks them as distinct violations. The most common mistake is checking Monitoring/Reporting when the actual violation is Treatment Technique, which downgrades the apparent severity and can later be cited as a false certification. A misconception is that the operator chooses the category based on judgment; EGLE assigns the category in the violation letter and the operator’s job is to mirror it.

Box 4: Tier of Notice

The form asks which notification tier applies โ€” Tier 1, Tier 2, or Tier 3. Tier 1 covers acute health risks and demands a notice within 24 hours; Tier 2 covers non-acute violations with a 30-day deadline; Tier 3 covers monitoring and reporting issues with a 12-month deadline. Janet Park, the certified operator at Lakeside School, checks Tier 2 for a copper action level exceedance. If EPA or EGLE elevates a Tier 2 to Tier 1 because of a public health concern, mark the elevated tier and note the elevation in Box 11. The most common mistake is marking Tier 2 for nitrate exceedances above the MCL, which are Tier 1 because nitrate is acute. Operators often think tier is set by contaminant alone, but the rule actually pairs contaminant with concentration and exposure scenario, so the same contaminant can sit in different tiers depending on the situation.

Box 5: Date Violation or Situation Began

Enter the date the underlying problem started, not the date you learned about it. Use MM/DD/YYYY format with leading zeros, such as 03/04/2026. For monitoring violations, this is the first day of the missed compliance period; for MCL violations, it is the date of the sample that exceeded the limit. The most common mistake is entering the lab result date, which is later than the sample date and shortens the apparent response window. A misconception is that began means discovered; the rule treats these as separate dates and demands both.

Box 6: Date Violation or Situation Discovered

Enter the date you or EGLE first knew the violation occurred. This is usually the date the lab reported the result or the date of the EGLE Notice of Violation. Maria writes 03/06/2026 in Box 6 because the lab faxed the E. coli positive that morning. The clock for Tier 1 (24 hours) and Tier 2 (30 days) runs from this date, not from Box 5. The most common mistake is back-dating discovery to match the sample date in an attempt to look more responsive, which is a falsification under MCL 325.1021. A common misconception is that weekends or holidays pause the clock โ€” they do not for Tier 1 notices.

Box 7: Date Public Notice Issued

This is the date you delivered the notice to consumers, which must be on or before the deadline tied to the tier. Enter the earliest delivery date if you used multiple channels on different days. The Maple Grove notice went on door hangers Saturday, in the local paper Monday, and on the township website Saturday, so Maria writes 03/07/2026. If the notice was issued in stages because of a large service area, attach a delivery log showing each batch. The most common mistake is entering the date the notice was drafted rather than delivered, which can mask a missed deadline. Operators sometimes believe posting on social media counts as the issue date, but EGLE recognizes only the delivery methods listed in R 325.10410.

Box 8: Method(s) of Delivery

Check every method used, not just one. Options include direct mail, hand delivery, door hanger, posting in conspicuous locations, newspaper, radio, TV, electronic notice, and bill insert. Carlos checks posting and hand delivery for his 38-site campground. Tier 1 notices require at least one method that reaches consumers within 24 hours, so radio, TV, hand delivery, or door hangers are typical; a bill insert alone is never enough for Tier 1. The most common mistake is checking only electronic notice for a community supply, which fails the rule unless paired with a method that reaches consumers without internet access. A misconception is that a single method always satisfies the rule, but the rule requires whichever combination reasonably reaches all persons served.

Box 9: Population Served by the Notice

Enter the population that received the notice. This is the population of the affected service area, which may be smaller than the full supply population if only one pressure zone was affected. The Maple Grove notice covered 2,140 residents in the affected pressure zone. If you cannot count exactly, use the most recent service-area estimate from your Sanitary Survey. The most common mistake is entering the entire supply population when only part of the system was affected, which inflates apparent reach and complicates later enforcement. Operators sometimes believe population equals number of service connections, but EGLE wants people, not connections โ€” typically connections multiplied by the average household size for the area.

Box 10: Mandatory Health Effects Language Included

Check Yes only if you used the exact health-effects language from 40 CFR 141 Appendix A for the contaminant. Paraphrasing โ€” even slightly โ€” converts a Yes into a false certification. Janet checks Yes because the Lakeside notice copied the lead language word for word. If your supply translated the notice into Spanish, Arabic, or another language for a substantial non-English-speaking population, attach both versions. The most common mistake is rewriting the health language to sound more reassuring, which violates the rule and undermines the notice. A misconception is that the language is a suggestion; it is mandatory verbatim text and the only flexibility is adding context, never subtracting from the prescribed wording.

Box 11: Description of Violation and Corrective Action

This narrative box asks what happened and what the supply is doing about it. Write three to five short sentences in plain English explaining the problem, the level detected, the steps already taken, and the steps planned. Maria writes: “A routine bacteriological sample collected on 03/04/2026 returned E. coli positive on 03/06/2026. The supply flushed and chlorinated the affected zone, collected repeat samples on 03/06 and 03/07, and issued a boil-water notice on 03/07. Repeat samples were negative on 03/08, and the boil-water notice was lifted on 03/09.” Avoid technical jargon and acronyms because EGLE shares this narrative with consumer-facing dashboards. The most common mistake is leaving the box blank or writing see attached, which fails the rule and slows closeout. A misconception is that the operator can decline to describe corrective action because none has occurred yet; the rule requires planned action when active action has not started.

Box 12: Certification Signature, Title, and Date

The certified operator in charge or the supply owner signs and dates this box, prints their title, and enters their EGLE operator certification number. The signature certifies under MCL 325.1021 that the information is true and complete. Maria signs, prints “Operator in Charge, F-2 Distribution,” and enters her certification number 18472. Electronic signatures through MiEnviro are acceptable; pen-and-ink is required for paper filings. The most common mistake is letting an uncertified clerk sign on the operator’s behalf, which voids the certification. Operators sometimes believe signing only commits them personally, but the certification binds the supply and false statements expose the signer to criminal liability under Act 399.

Three Filled-Out Examples Using Real Scenarios

Each scenario below walks one named filer through the full form for a different event. Use the scenario closest to your situation as a template, but always tailor the language to your facts.

Scenario A: Maria Lopez โ€” Acute E. coli at a Community Supply

Form Section What Maria Enters
Box 1 โ€” Supply Name Maple Grove Township Water System
Box 2 โ€” WSSN 0234567
Box 3 โ€” Violation Type Acute MCL
Box 4 โ€” Tier Tier 1
Box 5 โ€” Date Began 03/04/2026
Box 6 โ€” Date Discovered 03/06/2026
Box 7 โ€” Date Notice Issued 03/07/2026
Box 8 โ€” Methods Door hanger, newspaper, website, local radio
Box 9 โ€” Population Served 2,140
Box 10 โ€” Health Language Yes โ€” Appendix A E. coli text
Box 12 โ€” Signature Maria Lopez, Operator in Charge, Cert. 18472

Scenario B: Janet Park โ€” Lead Action Level Exceedance at a School

Form Section What Janet Enters
Box 1 โ€” Supply Name Lakeside Public School District Well #2
Box 2 โ€” WSSN 0451209
Box 3 โ€” Violation Type Treatment Technique (Lead and Copper Rule)
Box 4 โ€” Tier Tier 2
Box 5 โ€” Date Began 01/15/2026
Box 6 โ€” Date Discovered 02/02/2026
Box 7 โ€” Date Notice Issued 02/20/2026
Box 8 โ€” Methods Direct mail to parents, posting at school entrances, website, email blast
Box 9 โ€” Population Served 612
Box 10 โ€” Health Language Yes โ€” Appendix A lead text
Box 12 โ€” Signature Janet Park, Facilities Director, Cert. 22810

Scenario C: Carlos Reyes โ€” Monitoring Violation at a Transient Non-Community Supply

Form Section What Carlos Enters
Box 1 โ€” Supply Name Pinewood Family Campground
Box 2 โ€” WSSN 0098321
Box 3 โ€” Violation Type Monitoring/Reporting
Box 4 โ€” Tier Tier 3
Box 5 โ€” Date Began 07/01/2025
Box 6 โ€” Date Discovered 10/14/2025
Box 7 โ€” Date Notice Issued 11/10/2025
Box 8 โ€” Methods Posting at registration office, posting at well house, handout at check-in
Box 9 โ€” Population Served 148
Box 10 โ€” Health Language Yes โ€” Appendix A monitoring text
Box 12 โ€” Signature Carlos Reyes, Owner, Cert. 30142

How to File the Completed Form

EGLE accepts the certification through three channels, and each channel has its own deadline tracking, fee posture, and proof-of-filing.

Online via MiEnviro Portal. Upload the signed PDF and attachments at the MiEnviro Portal. There is no fee for public notification certifications. Processing is automated, the portal returns a confirmation number within minutes, and the certification appears in SDWIS within 2 business days. Save the PDF receipt as your proof of filing.

By email to the district office. Send the signed PDF to your assigned district office email. There is no fee. Expect district staff to acknowledge within 3 business days, and keep the sent-mail confirmation plus the staff acknowledgment as proof of filing.

By U.S. Mail. Mail the original signed form to the district office address listed on your Notice of Violation. There is no fee. Allow 7 to 10 business days for processing, and send by USPS Certified Mail with return receipt to capture proof of delivery.

In person. Hand-deliver the form to the district office during business hours and ask the front desk to date-stamp a copy for your records. There is no fee. The certification posts to SDWIS within 2 to 3 business days.

For Tier 1 notices, also call the district duty officer within 24 hours of discovery, regardless of which channel you use to file. The phone call is required by R 325.10410 and is logged separately from the written certification.

What Happens After You File

EGLE’s district office reviews the certification, compares the attached consumer notice to the Appendix A health language, and confirms the dates against the original violation. If everything matches, the office closes the violation in SDWIS and sends a closeout letter, usually within 14 days. The closeout letter is the document you keep for your annual Consumer Confidence Report, which must list every notice issued in the calendar year.

If the certification is incomplete, EGLE issues a deficiency letter listing the missing elements and gives the supply 10 business days to cure. A second deficiency moves the file to the Compliance and Enforcement Section, where it can become an Administrative Consent Order with stipulated penalties. Repeat or willful failures can be referred to the Michigan Attorney General for civil action, with daily penalties under Act 399.

EGLE also shares public notification data with EPA’s federal SDWIS, which feeds the EPA Enforcement and Compliance History Online (ECHO) tool used by lenders, insurers, and bond underwriters. Suppliers preparing for a bond issuance or a sanitary survey should pull their ECHO record before filing to confirm prior notices were closed properly.

Mistakes to Avoid When Filling Out the Form

  • Using an outdated form version. The Appendix A language changes; an old form with old health language is itself a violation.
  • Mismatching the WSSN. Dropping a leading zero or swapping numbers routes the certification to the wrong supply and leaves the original violation open.
  • Paraphrasing the health-effects language. Even small rewrites convert a Yes in Box 10 into a false certification.
  • Backdating the discovery date. Falsification exposes the signer to criminal liability under Act 399.
  • Using only electronic delivery for a Tier 1 notice. Tier 1 requires a method that reaches consumers without internet access.
  • Leaving Box 11 blank or writing see attached. EGLE requires a written narrative in the box itself.
  • Listing the wholesaler’s WSSN instead of the issuing supply’s. SDWIS matches the certifier to the violation, and the wrong WSSN breaks the link.
  • Letting an uncertified clerk sign Box 12. Only the certified operator in charge or the supply owner may sign.
  • Forgetting the 24-hour phone call. The Tier 1 phone call to the district duty officer is separate from the written certification.
  • Skipping the bilingual notice. Supplies serving a substantial non-English population must deliver the notice in the appropriate language and attach both versions.
  • Filing without the lab report. Without the certified lab result, EGLE cannot verify the contaminant level reported to consumers.
  • Failing to log delivery dates. A delivery log is required when the notice was issued in batches across the service area.

Do’s and Don’ts

  • Do download a fresh copy of EQP5846 from the EGLE Drinking Water Forms page for every event, because Appendix A language changes.
  • Do call the district duty officer within 24 hours for any Tier 1 event, even before the written certification is ready.
  • Do copy the Appendix A health-effects language verbatim, because verbatim is the only way to satisfy the rule.
  • Do keep the certified mail receipt or MiEnviro confirmation for at least 5 years, because it proves timely filing during a sanitary survey.
  • Do translate the notice for any substantial non-English population in your service area, because the rule requires it.
  • Do attach the lab report and chain of custody, because EGLE verifies contaminant levels against the certified lab record.
  • Don’t paraphrase the health-effects language, because EGLE will treat the notice as deficient.
  • Don’t sign the certification if you are not the certified operator in charge or the owner, because the signature is a legal certification.
  • Don’t rely on social media as a primary delivery method, because EGLE recognizes only the methods listed in R 325.10410.
  • Don’t wait for the lab to mail a hard copy before counting the discovery date, because the discovery clock starts when you have actual knowledge.
  • Don’t combine multiple violations into one certification, because SDWIS tracks each violation separately.
  • Don’t submit the certification before consumer delivery is complete, because Box 7 demands the actual delivery date.

Pros and Cons of Filing on Your Own vs. With Help

Filing the certification yourself preserves operator control and saves money, but engaging a consultant or circuit-rider can reduce risk during a serious event.

  • Pro โ€” Filing yourself. You control the timing, which matters most for the 24-hour Tier 1 deadline.
  • Pro โ€” Filing yourself. You save the $500 to $2,500 a consultant typically charges for emergency notification support.
  • Pro โ€” Filing yourself. You build internal compliance capacity, which strengthens your next sanitary survey.
  • Pro โ€” Filing yourself. Direct contact with the district office shortens closeout because there is no middleman.
  • Pro โ€” Filing yourself. You learn the form, which means the next event takes half the time.
  • Con โ€” Filing yourself. A first-time Tier 1 event under stress is when most filing errors happen.
  • Con โ€” Filing yourself. You may miss subtle Appendix A language updates that a specialist would catch.
  • Con โ€” Filing yourself. Small supplies often lack a certified operator on staff and must scramble for a signature.
  • Con โ€” Filing yourself. Bilingual translation is hard to produce in 24 hours without outside help.
  • Con โ€” Filing yourself. You bear the full enforcement risk if a deficiency letter escalates to a consent order.

Tier 1 vs. Tier 2 vs. Tier 3 at a Glance

Element Tier Comparison
Tier 1 deadline 24 hours from discovery, plus phone call to district duty officer
Tier 2 deadline 30 days from discovery, repeated every 3 months until resolved
Tier 3 deadline 12 months from discovery, may piggyback on the annual CCR
Typical triggers (Tier 1) E. coli, nitrate above MCL, waterborne outbreak, chemical spill
Typical triggers (Tier 2) Most chemical MCL exceedances, treatment technique violations, lead/copper action level
Typical triggers (Tier 3) Missed monitoring, late reports, variance/exemption notices
Required delivery (Tier 1) Methods reaching all consumers within 24 hours, including non-internet users
Required delivery (Tier 2) Mail or direct delivery plus posting, or other reasonable combination
Required delivery (Tier 3) Annual mail, CCR, or posting, depending on system size

FAQs

Is the EGLE Public Notification form the same as a boil water advisory notice?

No. A boil water advisory is the consumer-facing notice itself; the EGLE form is the certification you file with EGLE proving the advisory was issued correctly under R 325.10410.

Do I need to use the MiEnviro Portal, or can I still file by mail?

No. MiEnviro is encouraged but not mandatory; mail, email, and in-person filing remain valid through your assigned EGLE district office.

Can I paraphrase the mandatory health-effects language to make it less alarming?

No. The Appendix A language is verbatim and may not be softened, shortened, or rewritten without converting the certification into a false statement.

What do I write in Box 6 if the lab faxed and emailed the result on different days?

Yes. Use the earliest date you actually received the result, regardless of channel, because the discovery clock starts the moment the supply has actual knowledge.

Does Box 9 ask for service connections or population?

No. Box 9 asks for population served by the notice, which is people, typically connections multiplied by average household size for your area.

If our supply has both a state WSSN and a federal PWSID, which goes in Box 2?

Yes. Use the 7-digit Michigan WSSN, because the PWSID embeds the WSSN but EGLE’s intake system matches on the WSSN field only.

Can an uncertified office manager sign Box 12?

No. Only the certified operator in charge or the supply owner of record may sign, because the signature is a legal certification under MCL 325.1021.

Is there a fee to file the public notification certification?

No. EGLE does not charge a filing fee for the certification itself, although enforcement penalties may apply if the underlying violation persists.

Do weekends and holidays pause the 24-hour Tier 1 clock?

No. Tier 1 deadlines run continuously from discovery, including weekends and holidays, so on-call coverage is essential.

Can I file one certification covering several violations from the same sampling event?

No. Each violation gets its own certification because SDWIS tracks them separately and a combined filing breaks the match.

Do I have to translate the notice into Spanish or Arabic?

Yes. Supplies serving a substantial non-English-speaking population must provide the notice in the appropriate language and attach both versions to the certification.

What happens if I miss the 30-day Tier 2 deadline by a few days?

No. A late filing is itself a separate public notification violation and typically triggers a deficiency letter, possible escalation to enforcement, and daily penalties under Act 399.

Does posting the notice on Facebook count toward Box 8?

No. Social media may supplement delivery but does not satisfy the rule on its own, because EGLE recognizes only the delivery methods listed in R 325.10410.

Do I keep a copy of the certification, and for how long?

Yes. Keep the signed certification, the consumer notice, the lab report, and the proof of delivery for at least 5 years, or longer if your district office instructs.