Ending an Advisory

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Issue End of Advisory Notice

Steps to Issue an End to the Advisory

  • Update the media and partners.
  • Update notifications in the affected area, including websites.
  • Update affected customers electronically; for example, by automated messages or e-mail.
  • Follow up earlier press releases with an end of advisory press release and phone calls.

Federal regulations do not specify when to end an advisory. Water systems and drinking water primacy agencies consult with one another and with public health officials on the specific events around the advisory and use water quality criteria and protocols to make the decision to end or lift an advisory. State primacy agency criteria are typically based on laboratory testing (sampling) results.

When the water system and primacy agency end the advisory, communication moves to lifting the advisory. Develop and coordinate the end of the advisory messages with public health officials and partners. The same communication methods, media partners, and outlets used to distribute the advisory should also be used to lift the advisory.

Be clear about the information used to end the advisory and the timing. Specifically, include the information on which you are basing your decision to end the advisory (e.g., the lab tested the water and it was negative for indicators). Develop and include any information needed by customers to flush water lines, etc.

Be sure to send the end of advisory notice to all partners in the communication network and the media. Post this information on websites clearly showing date and time. See the Ending an Advisory Press Release Template [PDF – 1 page] as an example.

Pages in this Report

  1. Table of Contents
  2. About
  3. Acknowledgements
  4. Overview
  5. Before an Incident—Preparing for an Advisory
  6. Organizing for Drinking Water Advisories
  7. Collaborating with Partners
  8. Developing a Message
  9. Conducting Exercises
  10. Tools & Templates
  11. During an Incident—Issuing an Advisory
  12. Initiating an Advisory
  13. Preparing an Advisory
  14. Distributing an Advisory
  15. ›Ending an Advisory
  16. During an Incident: Tools & Templates
  17. After an Incident—Evaluating an Advisory
  18. Reporting Requirements
  19. Debriefing an Incident
  20. Conducting an Evaluation
  21. Modifying Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs)
  22. Continued Public Outreach
  23. Tools and Templates
  24. Appendix A: Glossary of Terms
  25. Tools and Templates
  26. Appendix C: Online Resources
  27. Bibliography
  28. List of Tables
  29. List of Figures