Every year, your water utility publishes a Consumer Confidence Report (CCR) detailing what's in your water. Most people never read it. Here's how to decode yours.
Finding Your Report
Utilities are required to deliver the CCR by July 1 each year. Most now publish online. Search "[your city] water quality report" or check the EPA's Consumer Confidence Report search tool.
Key Terms to Understand
- MCL (Maximum Contaminant Level)
- The highest level of a contaminant allowed in drinking water. Set by the EPA.
- MCLG (Maximum Contaminant Level Goal)
- The level below which there's no known health risk. Often lower than MCL. Not legally enforceable.
- Action Level
- Used for lead and copper. If exceeded, utilities must take corrective action.
- ppm / ppb / ppt
- Parts per million, billion, or trillion. Smaller numbers = more sensitive detection.
What to Look For
1. Disinfection Byproducts
When chlorine reacts with organic matter in water, it creates trihalomethanes (THMs) and haloacetic acids (HAAs). These are linked to increased cancer risk. The MCL is 80 ppb for THMs and 60 ppb for HAAs—but many health organizations suggest lower targets.
2. Lead
The action level is 15 ppb, but there's no safe level of lead exposure. Lead often enters water from aging pipes between the water main and your home, not from the treatment plant.
3. PFAS
The EPA set enforceable limits in 2024 at 4 ppt for PFOA and PFOS. Check if your utility is testing and reporting PFAS levels—many aren't yet required to.
4. Nitrates
Common in agricultural areas. The MCL is 10 ppm. Particularly dangerous for infants, causing "blue baby syndrome."
Reading Between the Lines
CCRs show what leaves the treatment plant, not what comes out of your tap. Water quality can change as it travels through distribution pipes to your home. Older pipes, especially lead service lines, can add contaminants.
Also note: meeting legal limits doesn't mean optimal. Many contaminants have health effects below their MCL. The EPA's MCLGs—the goal levels with no known health risk—are often lower than the enforceable MCLs.
What to Do With This Information
- Download your CCR and review the detected contaminants
- Compare detected levels to MCLGs, not just MCLs
- If you have concerns, consider independent testing of your tap water
- Choose filtration that addresses your specific contaminants
Resources: EPA Safe Drinking Water Information System, EWG Tap Water Database, CDC Drinking Water Guidelines
Go Beyond the Report
CUIVEN systems address the full spectrum of contaminants—including those your utility doesn't test for.
See Our Purification Process →