United States
Environmental
Protection Agency
Office of Enforcement and
Compliance Assurance
(2201 A)
EPA 300-F-99-006
(Revised)
November 1999
THE CONSUMER
CONFIDENCE REPORT RULE
Annual Reporting Requirements
for Drinking Water Suppliers
Recycled/Recyclable
Printed with Soy/Canola ink on paper that contains at least 30% post consumer fiber
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As a Community Water System, you are
required to issue a Consumer Confidence
Report (CCR) by July 1 annually. This
pamphlet provides helpful information for
preparing a CCR.
Published by the Office of Enforcement and Compliance
Assurance, U.S. EPA, Washington, D.C., in cooperation with
the Office of Ground Water and Drinking Water.
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THE CONSUMER
CONFIDENCE REPORT RULE:
Annual Reporting Requirements for
Drinking Water Suppliers
In 1996, Congress amended the Safe Drinking Water Act, adding
a provision requiring that all community water systems deliver
to their customers a brief annual water quality report.
The new Consumer Confidence Report Rule, which was published
in the Federal Register on August 19, 1998, requires all community
water systems by July 1 of each year to report information on their
source water, the levels of any detected contaminants, and compliance
with drinking water rules, and include other specified educational
information.
Every water system that has at least 15 service connections serving
year-round residents or that regularly serves at least 25 year-round
residents must prepare and distribute a Consumer Confidence Report
(CCR). These systems include cities, towns, homeowner associations,
and trailer parks. A water wholesaler who sells water to another water
system must provide the retailer with monitoring data and other
information that will enable the retailer to produce a CCR, unless the
two systems make a different contractual agreement. The retail system
is responsible for ensuring that its customers receive a report containing
all required information.
In most systems, these reports must be delivered to each customer,
either with the water bill or in a separate mailing, and systems serving
more than 100,000 people also must make reports available on the Internet.
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The Consumer Confidence Report Rule
When is My Consumer Confidence Report Due?
As a community water supplier, your Consumer Confidence
Report is due to consumers by July 1 of each year. The reports are
based on calendar-year data. Wholesalers must deliver information to
their buyers by April of each year (unless there is a separate agreement).
A new community water system must deliver its first report by July 1 of
the year after its first full calendar year in operation, and annually
thereafter. Sample CCR reports are available at http://www.epa.gov/
safewater/ccr/ccrguide.pdf.
What Information is Required in the Report?
Each report must provide consumers with:
Water System Information
Name/phone number of contact person;
Information on public participation opportunities; and
Information for non-English speaking populations, as
applicable.
Sources of Water
Type, name, and location of water sources;
Availability of source water assessment;
Information on significant sources of contamination; and
Definitions: MCL, MCLG, and others as needed.
Compliance with Drinking Water Regulations
Identification and explanation of all violations, potential
health effects, and steps taken to correct the violations; and
Explanation of variance/exemption, if applicable.
Detected Contaminants
Table summarizing monitoring data on detected regulated &
unregulated contaminants;
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Annual Reporting Requirements for Drinking Water Suppliers
Make a Note:
Reports Are Due July 1 Annually
Detected Contaminants (continued)
For comparison, the detected level of a contaminant and the
corresponding MCL, MCLG. The MCL must be expressed as a
number equal to or greater than one and the MCLG and detected
level must be expressed in the same units as the MCL;
Known or likely source of each detected contaminant;
Health effects language and explanation for MCL violations; and
Information on Cryptosporidium, radon, and other contaminants.
Required Educational Information
Explanation of contaminants and their presence in drinking water;
Warning for vulnerable populations about Cryptosporidium; and
Informational statements on arsenic, nitrate, and lead, if
necessary.
Report Distribution and State Certification
Once completed, a copy of the Consumer Confidence Report is
required to be distributed to:
Consumers by mail or other means of delivery (systems that
serve 100,000 or more people also must post their reports on the
Internet);
Director of your State Drinking Water Program; and
Other State agency designated by the director of your State
Drinking Water Program.
In addition, a certification that reports have been distributed and the
report information is correct is required to be mailed to the state drinking
water program within three months of the report due date.
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For More Information on the
Consumer Confidence Report Rule
EPA's Office of Ground Water and Drinking Water has several
documents to assist community water systems comply with
the Consumer Confidence Report Rule.
The following information can be found on the Internet at
http://www.epa.gov/safewater/ccr1.html:
Fact SheetConsumer Confidence Report Final Rule
40 CFR Parts 141 and 142, National Primary Drinking
Water Regulation: Consumer Confidence Reports;
Final Rule
Consumer Confidence Report Writer
Consumer Confidence Report Public Service
Announcements
'Preparing Your Drinking Water Consumer
Confidence Report: Guidance for Water Suppliers'
State Implementation Guidance for the CCR Rule
Links to Dozens of Reports Created by Systems Across the
Country.
For additional information or to obtain printed copies of the
above material, contact the Safe Drinking Water Hotline at
1-800-426-4791
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AN IMPORTANT NOTE:
Your State's Consumer Confidence Report
Rule may require more information, so check
with your State Drinking Water Program.
For more information, contact:
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