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Best Practice 4: Develop Joint Messages
Drinking water and wastewater utilities, EMAs and local health departments can develop message templates prior to an emergency occurring. When there is an emergency causing a wastewater utility to shut down, or a disaster affecting drinking water services requiring customers to boil, limit or stop their use of water, it is vital that the community receive information from trusted sources. When all involved parties agree on messaging, the information remains consistent.
 Boil Water Advisory - poster sample


important point
  • For example, EPA's Drinking Water Cyanotoxin Communication Toolbox provides actionable tools for preparing for and responding to a harmful algal bloom incident. It contains templates for communicating risk before, during, and after an event. These materials, developed with stakeholder input, are intended to support public water systems, states and local governments in developing their own risk communication materials.