YOUR WATER REPORT
Your utility already tested your water. Here’s how to read it.
It’s called a Consumer Confidence Report, and community water systems must deliver one every year by July 1.
FIND IT
Where to get yours.
- Check your water bill or your utility’s website
- Search EPA’s report lookup
- Call your utility and ask for the latest Consumer Confidence Report
READ IT
The contaminant table.
| Column | What it means |
|---|---|
| MCLG | The goal: the level with no known or expected health risk |
| MCL | The legal limit the utility must meet |
| Level detected | What they found |
| Range | Lowest to highest result over the year |
| Violation | Yes or no |
| Likely source | Where it usually comes from |
LOOK FOR
Three things.
- Any “Yes” in the violation column
- Detected levels close to the MCL
- Contaminants where the MCLG is zero but the level detected isn’t
SOURCES
Where these facts come from.
QUESTIONS
Straight answers.
When do water reports come out?
Community water systems must deliver them every year by July 1.
What is the difference between MCL and MCLG?
The MCLG is a health goal. The MCL is the enforceable limit.