Most Americans will have received an annual report, called "Consumer Confidence Report," on the quality of their local drinking water by July 1, according to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. The reports were sent by community water systems across the nation under a new public right-to-know requirement about drinking water.
The EPA said about 253 million Americans received their first annual drinking water report by October 19, 1999, the first federal deadline for the annual reports.
Consumer Confidence Reports provide information to consumers about their local drinking water quality, the source of their drinking water, contaminants detected and actions taken when necessary.
According to new EPA data, 92 percent of the 54,000 community water systems across the country have now reported to their customers. But nearly 12 percent of drinking water systems did not make the October 19 deadline. One-third of the non-reporting systems have since returned to compliance after receiving a reminder letter or notice of violation from the EPA. Eight percent of the systems still have not sent their customers the report as required by law. The EPA is taking administrative action to assure that these noncomplying systems provide the reports to the public. So far, EPA has issued more than 1,500 Administrative Orders to noncompliant systems. More information is available at www.epa.gov/ogwdw/ccr1.html.
(Source: U.S. Environmental Protection Agency)