the owner or operator of the system shall, as soon as practicable, notify the local public health departments, the department, and the communications media serving the area served by the system of that fact and of the extent, nature, and possible health effects of such fact. Such notice shall also be given by the owner or operator of the system by publication in a newspaper of general circulation, as determined by the department, within the area served by such water system at least once every 3 months as long as the violation, variance, or exemption continues. Such notice shall also be given with the water bills of the system as long as the violation, variance, or exemption continues, as follows: if the water bills of a public water system are issued at least as often as once every 3 months, such notice shall be included in at least one water bill of the system for each customer every 3 months; if the system issues its water bills less often than once every 3 months, such notice shall be included in each of the water bills issued by the system for each customer. However, the provisions of this section notwithstanding, the department may prescribe by rule reasonable alternative notice requirements.