Abstract
The Safe Drinking Water Act Amendments of 1996 require community water systems in the United States to send consumers Consumer Confidence Reports (CCRs). CCRs contain information on detected contaminants and required educational information about drinking water. The authors of this study developed a survey to evaluate how utilities track consumer feedback, understanding, and the role of the CCR in shaping consumer perceptions about water quality. Responses from this survey indicate it is common for utilities to indirectly track the effectiveness of their CCRs, but few utilities indicated directly evaluating consumer understanding or the effect of CCRs on consumer perceptions.
Highlights
A consumer confidence report (CCR) is required to be prepared annually by most community water systems (CWS) under the 1996 amendments to the U.S federal Safe Drinking Water Act (SDWA, PL 104–82)
Before the development and first distribution of the final CCR rule, researchers began to evaluate the effectiveness of components that would go into CCRs, including whether the pilot versions of the report affected consumers’ confidence in the safety of their drinking water
Roughly one-third of the utilities surveyed conducted at least one method of tracking consumer perceptions about their water quality. These findings indicate that few of the utilities surveyed evaluate whether their CCR has an effect on consumer confidence
Summary
A consumer confidence report (CCR) is required to be prepared annually by most community water systems (CWS) under the 1996 amendments to the U.S federal Safe Drinking Water Act (SDWA, PL 104–82). Under the CCR rule, CWSs with at least 15 service connections or serving more than 25 consumers year-round must provide an annual report for customers that includes information on the quality and safety of their drinking water. Required educational information includes statements about contaminants in all drinking water, information to vulnerable populations about Cryptosporidium, and statements on nitrate, arsenic, and lead if applicable (USEPA, 1998). CWSs are required to distribute the CCR to consumers and a copy to their primacy agency by July 1 of each year and, within three months after the report is due, provide certification to their primacy agency that the report has been sent to consumers and contains correct information (USEPA, 1998)
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