The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced on May 15 a final rule aimed at enhancing public understanding and accessibility of annual drinking water quality reports. These reports, which are used by drinking water systems to inform residents about water quality and potential contaminants, will be made more readable and available in multiple languages from 2027. The EPA is also encouraging the use of electronic methods to streamline report delivery.
"EPA is taking action today to help ensure that the American public has improved access to information about the drinking water in their communities by strengthening requirements for annual drinking water quality reports," said acting Assistant Administrator for EPA’s Office of Water Bruno Pigott. "Today's announcement will ensure these reports are easier to understand, and easier to access in additional languages to provide all people with the information they want and need about their water."
The final rule aims to bolster public education by improving communication of crucial information in water quality reports and enhancing access to these documents. Currently, water systems are required to distribute annual drinking water reports to customers each year. Under the new rule, systems serving over 10,000 customers will be required to distribute reports biannually.
In addition, the final rule introduces a new reporting requirement designed to provide the EPA with better data for decision-making regarding oversight, enforcement, regulatory revisions, as well as training and technical assistance. This new mandate requires states to submit compliance monitoring data received from public water systems to the EPA annually.
The initiative stems from a directive under America’s Water Infrastructure Act of 2018 where Congress instructed the EPA to revise the Consumer Confidence Report Rule. The final rule supports the Safe Drinking Water Act's "right-to-know" provisions by improving these reports so that individuals can make informed decisions about their drinking water.
