Consumer Confidence Report Rule: 

A Quick Reference Guide

Public Health Related Benefits

►	 Increased consumer knowledge of drinking water sources, quality, susceptibility 

to contamination, treatment, and drinking water supply management.

►	 Increased awareness of consumers to potential health risks so they may Implementation of the make informed decisions to reduce those risks, including taking steps toward CCR Rule will result protecting their water supply. in . . . 

►	 Increased dialogue between drinking water utilities and consumers to increase 

understanding of the value of drinking water and water supply services and to 

facilitate consumer participation in decisions that affect public health.

Overview of the Rule

Consumer	Confidence	Report	(CCR)	Rule,	63	FR	44511,	August	19,	1998,	Vol.	63,	 Title No.	160

Improve public health protection by providing educational material to allow consumers 

Purpose to make educated decisions regarding any potential health risks pertaining to the 

quality, treatment, and management of their drinking water supply.

The CCR Rule requires all community water systems to prepare and distribute a brief 

General Description annual water quality report summarizing information regarding source water, detected 

contaminants, compliance, and educational information.

Utilities Covered Community	water	systems	(CWSs),	all	size	categories.

Annual Requirements

►	 April 1	-	Deadline	for	CWS	that	sells	water	to	another	CWS	to	deliver	the	

information	necessary	for	the	buyer	CWS	to	prepare	their	CCR	(requirement	

outlined	in	40	CFR	141.152).

►	 July 1 - Deadline for annual distribution of CCR to customers and state or 

local	primary	agency	for	report	covering	January	1	-	December	31	of	previous	

calendar year. CWSs	must	prepare	

and distribute a CCR ►	 October 1	-	(or	90	days	after	distribution	of	CCR	to	customers,	whichever	is	first)	

to all billing units or Deadline for annual submission of proof of distribution to state or local primacy 

service connections. agency.

►	 A	CWS	serving	100,000	or	more	persons	must	also	post	its	current	year’s	report	

on a publicly accessible site on the Internet. Many systems choose to post their 

reports	at	the	following	EPA	Web	site	http://yosemite.epa.gov/ogwdw/ccr.nsf/

america.

►	 All	CWSs	must	make	copies	of	the	report	available	on	request.

Small Water System Flexibility

►	 With	the	permission	of	the	governor	of	a	state	(or	designee),	or	where	the	tribe	has	primacy,	in	lieu	of	

mailing,	systems	serving	fewer	than	10,000	persons	may	publish	their	CCR	in	a	local	newspaper.*

►	 With	the	permission	of	the	governor	of	a	state	(or	designee),	or	where	the	tribe	has	primacy,	in	lieu	of	a	

mailing	and/or	publication,	systems	serving	500	or	fewer	persons	may	provide	a	notice	stating	the	CCR	is	

available	upon	request.*

*Questions	regarding	whether	the	necessary	permission	has	been	granted	should	be	addressed	to	the	

appropriate state or primacy agency.

Multilingual Requirements

►	 CWSs	that	have	a	large	proportion	of	non-English	speaking	residents	must	include	information	in	the	

appropriate	language(s)	expressing the importance of the CCR, or a phone number or address where 

residents	may	contact	the	CWS	to	obtain	a	translated	copy	of	the	CCR	or	assistance	in	the	appropriate	

language. 

►	 The	state	or	EPA	will	make	the	determination	of	which	CWSs	need	to	include	this	information.	
Eight Content Requirements of a CCR

►	 Item 1: Water System Information	–	Name/phone	number	of	a	contact	person;	information	on	public

participation opportunities.

►	 Item 2: Source(s) of Water. 

►	 Item 3: Definitions – Maximum	Contaminant	Level	(MCL);	MCL	Goal	(MCLG);	Treatment	Technique	

(TT);	Action	Level	(AL);	Maximum	Residual	Disinfectant	Level	(MRDL);	MRDL	Goal	(MRDLG).

►	 Item 4: Detected Contaminants	–	A	table	summarizing	reported	concentrations	and	relevant	MCLs	and	

MCLGs	or	MRDLs	and	MRDLGs;	known	source	of	detected	contaminants;	health	effects	language.

►	 Item 5: Information on Monitoring for Cryptosporidium, Radon, and Other Contaminants	(if	

detected).

►	 Item 6: Compliance with Other Drinking Water Regulations	(any	violations	and	Ground	Water	Rule	

[GWR]	special	notices).

►	 Item 7: Variances and Exemptions	(if	applicable).

►	 Item 8: Required Educational Information – Explanation of contaminants in drinking water and bottled 

water;	information	to	vulnerable	populations	about Cryptosporidium;	statements	on	nitrate,	arsenic,	and	

lead. 

Optional Information 

CWSs	are	not	limited	to	providing	only	the	required	information	in	their	CCR.	CWSs	may	want	to	include:

► An	explanation	(or	include	a	diagram	of)	the	CWSs	treatment	processes.

► Source	water	protection	efforts	and/or	water	conservation	tips.

► Costs of making the water safe to drink.

► A	statement	from	the	mayor	or	general	manager.

► Information to educate customers about:	Taste	and	odor	issues,	affiliations	with	programs	such	as	

the	Partnership	for	Safe	Water,	opportunities	for	public	participation,	etc.

Communication Tips

►	 Provide	a	consistent	message.	Be	as	simple,	truthful,	and	straightforward	as	possible.	Avoid	acronyms,	

initials, and jargon. 

►	 Provide links to useful information resources. 

►	 Limit wordiness – write short sentences and keep your paragraphs short. 

►	 Assume	that	consumers	will	only	read	the	top	half	of	the	notice	or	what	can	be	read	in	10	seconds.	

►	 Display important elements in bold and/or large type in the top half of the notice. 

►	 Do not make your text size too small. 

►	 Give a draft of your CCR to relatives or friends who are not drinking water experts and ask them if it 

makes	sense.	Ask	customers	for	their	comments	when	you	publish	the	CCR.

►	 Use graphics, photographs, maps, and drawings to illustrate your message. Do not distract from your 

main message with graphics and/or pictures that do not complement your message. 

►	 Consider printing the CCR on recycled paper and taking other steps to make the CCR “environmentally 

friendly.” If you hope to get your customers involved in protecting or conserving water, set a good example 

for them to follow. 

►	 Use the CCR as an opportunity to tell your customers about all of the things that you are doing well.

Reporting and Recordkeeping

►	 CWSs	must:	

► Mail	or	directly	deliver	a	copy	of	the	CCR	to	each	of	their	customers	by	July	1	annually.

► Make a good faith effort to get CCRs to non-bill-paying consumers, using means recommended by 

the state. 

► Send	a	copy	to	the	director	of	the	state	drinking	water	program	and	any	other	state	agency	that	the	

state	drinking	water	program	director	identifies	when	you	mail	it	to	customers.	

► Submit	to	the	state	a	certification,	within	3	months	of	mailing,	that	the	CWS	distributed	the	CCR,	

and that its information is correct and consistent with the compliance monitoring data previously 

submitted to the state. 

► Post	their	CCRs	on	the	Internet	(if	the	CWSs	serve	100,000	or	more	people).

►	 CWSs	may	also	want	to	send	copies	to	state	and	local	health	departments,	as	well	as	local	TV	and	radio	

stations and newspapers. 

For additional information 

on the CCR Rule

Call	the	Safe	Drinking	

Water	Hotline	at	1-800-

426-4791;	visit	the	EPA	

Web	site	at	www.epa.gov/

safewater/ccr1.html;	or	

contact your state or local 

primacy	agency’s	drinking	

water representative. Log 

onto	the	CCRiWriter	Web	

site	to	use	EPA’s	template	

at www.CCRiWriter.com.

Office	of	Water	(4606M) EPA	816-F-09-009 www.epa.gov/safewater August	2009