Annual Drinking Water Reports

(Consumer Confidence Report)

 
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is requiring water suppliers to put annual drinking water quality reports into the hands of their customers. These consumer confidence reports, which EPA developed in consultation with water suppliers, environmental groups, and the states, will enable Americans to make practical, knowledgeable decisions about their health and their environment.

EPA developed this rule in consultation with water suppliers, local governments, environmental groups, risk communication experts, and others during many public meetings in 1996 and 1997. The Consumer Confidence Report (Drinking Water Report) is the centerpiece of many provisions adopted in the 1996 Amendments to the Safe Drinking Water Act to give consumers more information on their drinking water and unprecedented opportunities to get involved in protecting it.

 
The Drinking Water Reports include the following information:

  • the lake, river, aquifer, or other source of the drinking water;
  • a brief summary of the susceptibility to contamination of the local drinking water source, based on the source water assessments that states are completing over the next five years;
  • how to get a copy of the water system's complete source water assessment;
  • the level (or range of levels) of any contaminant found in local drinking water, as well as EPA's health-based standard (maximum contaminant level) for comparison;
  • the likely source of that contaminant in the local drinking water supply;
  • the potential health effects of any contaminant detected in violation of an EPA health standard, and an accounting of the system's actions to restore safe drinking water; information about how vulnerable populations can avoid Cryptosporidium.
  • the water system's compliance with other drinking water-related rules;
  • an educational statement for vulnerable populations about avoiding Cryptosporidium;
  • educational information on nitrate, arsenic, or lead in areas where these contaminants are detected above 50% of EPA's standard; and
  • phone numbers of additional sources of information, including the water system and EPA's Safe Drinking Water Hotline (800-426-4791).


 

.

clock tickingAll community public water systems must distribute their Annual Drinking Water Report and the Department of Environment and Natural Resources must receive a copy of their report no later than July 1st.
 

South Dakota's Drinking Water Report
The state of South Dakota prepares an Annual Drinking Water Report for all community public water systems throughout the state.  If your system has had no violations for the previous year and is not served by another water system, your water system can use the report generated by the state to distribute to their customers.   Contact your public water system for a copy of your Annual Drinking Water Report.
 

EPA's CCRiWriter Software
 
EPA has designed a software application to help water suppliers quickly create their consumer confidence reports (Annual Drinking Water Report) called the CCRiWriter. The CCRiWriter take users through all the sections of the Drinking Water Report, converts lab results into "CCR units" and allow users to insert and edit EPA's recommended text. 

A copy of your current report as submitted to the Department of Environment and Natural Resources, can be found on the Water System Information screen.  For more information on the Annual Drinking Water Report, contact Mitchel Williams at (605) 773-3754.