Preparing Your Drinking Water Consumer Confidence Report
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Appendix M Preparing Your Massachusetts Drinking Water Consumer Confidence Report Rev. Mar 2021 Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection (MassDEP) Bureau of Water Resources – Drinking Water Program [email protected] Adapted from MassDEP’s October 2012 Appendix M, EPA’s 2010 CCR Guidance for Water Suppliers, and MassDEP’s 2009 Tips for Preparing User-Friendly CCRs Disclaimer This document provides guidance to community public water suppliers on the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection’s (MassDEP’s) implementation requirements and recommendations for preparing annual consumer confidence reports (CCRs) in accordance with the federal CCR Rule. This document is not a substitute for MassDEP’s regulations or for the regulations promulgated by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). While MassDEP has made every effort to ensure the accuracy of the discussion in this guidance, the guidance may not apply to a particular situation based upon its circumstances. In the event of a conflict between the information in this document and any statute or regulation, this document would not be controlling. MassDEP, EPA, and other decision makers retain the discretion to adopt approaches on a case- by-case basis that differ from those described in this guidance, where appropriate. MassDEP may change this guidance in the future. Throughout this document, the term “state” refers to the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, which has primacy for administering the federal Safe Drinking Water Act in Massachusetts. Table of Contents Acronyms ......................................................................................................................................... i Introduction ..................................................................................................................................... 3 Section I .......................................................................................................................................... 4 What is a Consumer Confidence Report? ................................................................................... 4 Section II ......................................................................................................................................... 4 Who Must Prepare a Consumer Confidence Report? ................................................................. 4 Section III....................................................................................................................................... 5 When Must a Water System Distribute its Report? .................................................................... 5 Section IV ....................................................................................................................................... 6 What Content Should Be in The CCR? ...................................................................................... 6 Section V ......................................................................................................................................... 7 What Information Is Required? .................................................................................................. 7 Item 1: Water System and Outreach Information ................................................................. 10 Item 2: Sources of Water ...................................................................................................... 14 Item 3: Mandatory Educational Statements ......................................................................... 16 Item 4: Variances and Exemptions ...................................................................................... 18 Item 5: Definitions ................................................................................................................ 18 Item 6: Tables ....................................................................................................................... 20 Item 7 - Contaminants and Rules with Special Reporting Requirements ............................. 34 Item 8: Compliance and Enforcement .................................................................................. 66 Section VI ..................................................................................................................................... 69 Delivery Options and Certification ........................................................................................... 69 Section VII .................................................................................................................................... 73 Keeping CCR Copies on File .................................................................................................... 73 Section VIII ................................................................................................................................... 73 Technical Assistance for your CCR .......................................................................................... 73 Attachments .................................................................................................................................. 74 Regulated Contaminants Chart ................................................................................................. 68 i Unregulated Contaminants Chart .............................................................................................. 82 Secondary Contaminants Chart ................................................................................................ 98 ii Acronyms AL Action level BDL Below detection limit CCR Consumer Confidence Report CDC Centers for Disease Control and Prevention CFR Code of Federal Regulations DBP Disinfection byproduct DBPP Disinfection byproduct Precursor DBPR Disinfection byproduct Rule DWSRF Drinking Water State Revolving Fund EPA U.S. Environmental Protection Agency FDA U.S. Food and Drug Administration GWR Ground Water Rule HA Health advisory HAA5 Five haloacetic acids IDSE Initial distribution system evaluation IESWTR Interim Enhanced Surface Water Treatment Rule LCR Lead and Copper Rule LRAA Locational running annual average LT1ESWTR Long-Term 1 Enhanced Surface Water Treatment Rule LT2ESWTR Long-Term 2 Enhanced Surface Water Treatment Rule LRAA Locational running annual average MassDEP Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection MCL Maximum contaminant level MCLG Maximum contaminant level goal MFL Million fibers per liter MDL Method detection limit mg/L Milligrams per liter (the same as parts per million or ppm) mrem Millirem MRDL Maximum residual disinfectant level MRDLG Maximum residual disinfectant level goal N/A Not applicable i ND Not detected NTU Nephelometric turbidity units ORSG Massachusetts Office of Research and Standards Guideline pCi/L Picocuries per liter (a measure of radioactivity) PFAS Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances ppb Parts per billion (the same as micrograms per liter or ug/L) ppm Parts per million (the same as milligrams per liter or mg/L) ppt Parts per trillion (the same as nanograms per liter or ng/L) PWS Public water system RAA Running annual average RTCR Revised Total Coliform Rule SDWA Safe Drinking Water Act Stage 1 DBPR Stage 1 Disinfectants and Disinfection Byproducts Rule Stage 2 DBPR Stage 2 Disinfectants and Disinfection Byproducts Rule SWAP Source Water Assessment and Protection Program SWTR Surface Water Treatment Rule TCR Total Coliform Rule TOC Total organic carbon TT Treatment technique TTHM Total trihalomethanes UCMR3 Unregulated Contaminant Monitoring Rule - Third Cycle ug/L Micrograms per liter (the same as parts per billion or ppb) ii Introduction This document is intended to be used by water suppliers who are preparing their drinking water Consumer Confidence Reports (CCRs) for their customers. This guide explains the Massachusetts requirements for report content, format, and distribution in accordance with 310 CMR 22.16A and the federal CCR Rule, including revisions since 1998. The MassDEP Drinking Water Program website includes additional information, which can help you prepare your annual CCR: http://www.mass.gov/eea/agencies/massdep/water/drinking/water-systems-ops.html#7. On the website, you will find the CCR template, CCR certification form, a sample CCR, optional source protection and water conservation tips, and a list of common CCR errors. If you need additional help, you can contact the [email protected] and they will get you in touch with the appropriate person to help you. As the system operator/manager, you are a guardian of the quality of your drinking water supply and the public health in your community. Your customers have the right to know about the source of their drinking water, the quality of their water, and your compliance with state and federal drinking water regulations. CCRs help consumers make informed choices that affect the health of themselves and their families. CCRs also encourage consumers to consider and appreciate the challenges of delivering safe drinking water and the need for infrastructure improvements. Educated consumers are more likely to help protect their drinking water sources and to understand the true costs of safe drinking water. 3 Section I What is a Consumer Confidence Report? In 1996, Congress amended the Safe Drinking Water Act (SDWA) to improve the safety of public drinking water and address the public’s right to know what is in their water. Among other things, the amendments directed each community public water system (PWS) to deliver