(a) The priority list to be established by the Department of Health Services shall list suppliers in descending order of the severity of the deficiencies in their domestic water systems. The Department of Health Services may place a supplier on the priority list on the basis of such deficiencies whether or not the supplier has requested such placement.

(b) Suppliers interested in placement on the priority list shall file a priority list application with the Department of Health Services. Priority list application forms may be obtained from the Department of Health Services.

(c) After the priority list is established, the Department of Health Services shall notify each supplier of its position on the list.

(d) The Department of Health Services may solicit applications for funding under the Act from suppliers on the priority list.

(e) Placement of a supplier on the priority list does not constitute a commitment to fund a project, reserve funds for a particular project, or require projects to be funded in a particular order.

(f) A supplier must be placed on the priority list before applying for funding under Section 483.

(g) After the priority list is established, the Department and the Department of Health Services shall make a preliminary determination as to the probable number of suppliers on the list which could be given financial assistance within the funding limits of the Act. The determination shall be revised from time to time as additional information regarding project costs and actual number of applications becomes available. The determination of which suppliers are most likely to fall within funding limits shall be used to advise suppliers regarding whether or not it would be advisable to file an application for funding.