Consumer Confidence Rule (CCR)

Fact Sheet

• Quick Reference Guide

FAQ

• Who must write a Consumer Confidence Report?
  • All Community Water Systems that have been in operation for at least 12 months must prepare and distribute a brief general annual water quality report that summarizes information regarding source water, detected contaminants, compliance, and educational information.
• When is the CCR due?
  • Each annual CCR is to be made available to customers by July 1st of each year. A copy of your system’s report must be forwarded to the Drinking Water Program office by the same date.
• What information must be included in the annual CCR?
  • Packets that include your system’s most recent test results, required information and instructions for writing the report are sent to each system’s administrative contact in late February of each year. You may also refer to the following EPA document for guidance on preparing your Consumer Confidence Report: EPA's CCR guide.
• If my system sells water to another community water system, what CCR information must I provide to those consecutive users?
  • If you sell water to other community water systems (consecutive users), you must provide your system’s most recent sample result information to those users by April 1st of each year so that they may include that information in their own CCR.
• If I purchase water from a wholesaler, must I include the wholesaler’s sample result information in my system’s CCR along with our own sample results?
  • You must include the most recent sample result information from your wholesaler, as well as your own sample results, in your system’s CCR. If you purchase water, you should receive the most recent sample result information from your wholesaler by April 1st of each year. If you do not receive the information by April 1st, check with the wholesaler to see if the information is available.
• Some test results were on last year’s CCR data sheet, but are not included on the data sheet provided to our system this year. Why are those items no longer on this year’s data sheet?
  • Each annual CCR data sheet summarizes test results from the most recent five-year window. Generally, only those contaminants that have been detected are listed on the current data sheet. It is possible that the most recent test result was either older than the five- year window or was a ‘no detect’ result and therefore is not included on the data sheet. The contaminants and values listed on the data sheet are the items that will be required on the CCR for that year. If you have questions regarding the items listed on your data sheet, please contact the Drinking Water Program for further information.
• Must I include Unregulated Contaminant sampling results in my system’s CCR?
  • Sample results listed for Unregulated Contaminants are required to be included in the CCR written for the year in which the sampling occurred. For instance, sample results from Unregulated Contaminant monitoring that occurred in 2016 will be included in the 2016 CCR, but those results are not required to be in subsequent CCRs.
• By what methods must I make my system’s CCR available to our customers?
  • The allowable methods for making CCRs available to customers are prescribed by the population served. Three separate CCR Certification Forms are available for systems serving: a.) fewer than 500 people; b.) 501-10,000 people; and for those systems serving: c.) greater than 10,000 people. Each form itemizes the correct methods that must be used to make the CCR available to consumers. Current Certification Forms are available under the Forms section of this website.
• When is the CCR Certification Form due?
  • The CCR Certification Form must be submitted to the Drinking Water Program by October 1st of each year.

Forms

• CCR 2023 Certification Form (≤ 500 people)
• CCR 2023 Certification Form (501-9,999 people)
• CCR 2023 Certification Form (≥ 10,000 people)