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Drinking Water Quality Report (Consumer Confidence Report)
Each year prior to July 1st, public water systems begin the task of coordinating data to include in their annual Consumer Confidence Report (CCR). The rationale for this report is that you, as a consumer, have the right to know where your drinking water comes from and what is in it. The report is designed to help you make informed choices that affect your health and the health of your family. It also encourages you to consider the challenges of delivering safe drinking water and to better understand the true costs involved in its delivery.
WHAT IS CCR?
In 1996, Congress amended the Safe Drinking Water Act by adding a provision that required all "community water systems" deliver to the customers a brief annual water quality report. The CCR summarizes information that your water system already collects to comply with regulations. It includes information on your source water, the levels of any detected contaminants, and compliance with drinking water rules.
WHEN IS THE CCR DUE?
Each CCR is based on calendar-year data collected between January and December. Each "community water system" must deliver its CCR to its customers by July 1st the following year, and in those instances where a wholesale/retail situation applies, wholesalers must deliver information to their buyers by April 1st. This earlier deadline is to provide adequate time for the retailer to develop and distribute its own CCR.
WHO MUST PREPARE A CCR?
Every "community water system" serving at least 15 service connections and/or 25 people year round must prepare and distribute a CCR. These systems typically include rural water systems, towns, homeowner associations and trailer parks. In the case where a rural water system provides service to a town, the town would be considered the retailer and the rural water system the wholesaler. In this case, the rural water system must provide the town with monitoring data that will enable the town to produce its own CCR.
WHAT CONTENT IS REQUIRED?
While there are specific requirements for what needs to be included in each CCR, suppliers are encouraged to tailor their content to local conditions. The following basic requirements apply:
• Water system information - name, phone number, contact person
• Sources of water - type, name and location of water source
• Definitions - explanation of appropriate acronyms used in the report
• Detected Contaminants - table summarizing data on detected contaminants, their suspected source and potential health effects
• Compliance with other drinking water regulations - explanation of violations, health effects and steps taken to correct these violations
• Educational information - explanation of contaminants and their presence in drinking water, warning about cryptosporidium, and information statements on arsenic, nitrate and lead
• Water system information - name, phone number, contact person
• Sources of water - type, name and location of water source
• Definitions - explanation of appropriate acronyms used in the report
• Detected Contaminants - table summarizing data on detected contaminants, their suspected source and potential health effects
• Compliance with other drinking water regulations - explanation of violations, health effects and steps taken to correct these violations
• Educational information - explanation of contaminants and their presence in drinking water, warning about cryptosporidium, and information statements on arsenic, nitrate and lead
