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The
federal Safe Drinking Water Act Amendments of 1996 require that
all water utilities prepare an annual Consumer Confidence Report.
This report is to be sent to consumers, informing them about the
quality of their drinking water, where it comes from, if and how
it is treated, and how to protect the drinking water source. EPA
adopted the final consumer confidence rule in October 1998.
The preparation
of a consumer water quality report is nothing new to Californians.
California utilities have been required to do an Annual Water Quality
Report (AWQR) since 1989. However, the new federal Consumer Confidence
Report changes the way Californians have typically prepared these
reports. The following is a list of items required by the Consumer
Confidence Reports that were not required by the Annual Water Quality
Reports:
- Definitions
for "maximum contaminant level", "primary drinking
water standard" and "public health goal"
- Public
Health Goal (PHG) for each detected contaminant
- Health
effects statement for each detected contaminant exceeding an
MCL
- Any variances
or exemptions issued to a water utility by the Department of
Health Services
- Applies
to all public water systems, not just community and nontransient-noncommunity
water systems
DHS
regulations and preparation guidance are available on the DHS
Web site.
If you would
like more detailed information on the Consumer Confidence Reports
please contact, Danielle Blacet, Regulatory Advocate at danielleb@acwa.com or 916.441.4545.
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