Which of the following is a Tier 2 violation?

• A. Monitoring and testing procedure violations
• B. Waterborne disease outbreak
• C. Fecal coliform MCL violation
• D. Excessive turbidity

Answer: (A)

Tiered public notification is used to categorize drinking water violations by urgency. Tier 2 violations are nonserious noncompliance issues that don’t pose an immediate health risk but still require public notice within a set timeframe. Monitoring and testing procedure violations fit this category because failing to perform required monitoring or testing undermines compliance, yet by itself does not create an immediate health hazard for consumers.

In contrast, a waterborne disease outbreak is an actual health event caused by the water supply, which is an immediate risk and would be Tier 1. A fecal coliform MCL violation signals contamination above the allowed limit and is taken seriously, typically treated as a Tier 2 public notice issue unless additional risk factors change the category. Excessive turbidity indicates process failures in filtration and can be serious, but the clear, established example of a Tier 2 violation here is the monitoring/testing procedure lapse.