Reporting Drinking Water System Emergencies and Potential Public Health Hazards

Drinking water utilities are responsible for reporting emergency conditions and other public health hazards to the Health Department. Reports should be made as soon as possible to the County Health Department or State Health Department District Office that regulates the utility. The following fact sheet describes these responsibilities. If a utility does not already have an effective emergency plan, the fact sheet can be used to record contact information needed for reporting.

• Community Water System Emergencies: Water Supplier's Responsibility and Procedures
• County and District Contact Information for Reporting Emergencies
• Boil Water Notices: Fact Sheet and Templates for Public Drinking Water Suppliers

If a County or District office cannot be reached during non-business hours, water supply emergencies should be reported (toll free) to the NYSDOH Duty Officer at (866) 881-2809.

Report Intrusion Incidents

Incidents involving intrusion or other intentional efforts to harm water service should be immediately reported to local law enforcement authorities. To help with incident tracking, water systems are also asked to follow-up with a report to the WaterISAC online reporting portal or by phone at (866) 426-4722.

Report Chemical Spills

Incidents involving chemical spills should also be reported to the 24-hour spill hotline at (800) 457-7362. A list of information to include in a spill incident report is available online from the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation.