§ 141.153 Content of the reports.

(a) Each community water system must provide to its customers an annual report that contains the information specified in this section and § 141.154.

(b) Information on the source of the water delivered:

(1) Each report must identify the source(s) of the water delivered by the community water system by providing information on:

(i) The type of the water: e.g., surface water, ground water; and

(ii) The commonly used name (if any) and location of the body (or bodies) of water.

(2) If a source water assessment has been completed, the report must notify consumers of the availability of this information and the means to obtain it. In addition, systems are encouraged to highlight in the report significant sources of contamination in the source water area if they have readily available information. Where a system has received a source water assessment from the primacy agency, the report must include a brief summary of the system's susceptibility to potential sources of contamination, using language provided by the primacy agency or written by the operator.

(c) Definitions. (1) Each report must include the following definitions:

(i) Maximum Contaminant Level Goal or MCLG: The level of a contaminant in drinking water below which there is no known or expected risk to health. MCLGs allow for a margin of safety.

(ii) Maximum Contaminant Level or MCL: The highest level of a contaminant that is allowed in drinking water. MCLs are set as close to the MCLGs as feasible using the best available treatment technology.

(2) A report for a community water system operating under a variance or an exemption issued under § 1415 or 1416 of SDWA must include the following definition: Variances and Exemptions: State or EPA permission not to meet an MCL or a treatment technique under certain conditions.

(3) A report that contains data on contaminants that EPA regulates using any of the following terms must include the applicable definitions:

(i) Treatment Technique: A required process intended to reduce the level of a contaminant in drinking water.

(ii) Action Level: The concentration of a contaminant which, if exceeded, triggers treatment or other requirements which a water system must follow.

(iii) Maximum residual disinfectant level goal or MRDLG: The level of a drinking water disinfectant below which there is no known or expected risk to health. MRDLGs do not reflect the benefits of the use of disinfectants to control microbial contaminants.

(iv) Maximum residual disinfectant level or MRDL: The highest level of a disinfectant allowed in drinking water. There is convincing evidence that addition of a disinfectant is necessary for control of microbial contaminants.

(4) A report that contains information regarding a Level 1 or Level 2 Assessment required under Subpart Y of this part must include the applicable definitions:

(i) Level 1 Assessment: A Level 1 assessment is a study of the water system to identify potential problems and determine (if possible) why total coliform bacteria have been found in our water system.

(ii) Level 2 Assessment: A Level 2 assessment is a very detailed study of the water system to identify potential problems and determine (if possible) why an E. coli MCL violation has occurred and/or why total coliform bacteria have been found in our water system on multiple occasions.

(d) Information on detected contaminants. (1) This sub-section specifies the requirements for information to be included in each report for contaminants subject to mandatory monitoring (except Cryptosporidium). It applies to:

(i) Contaminants subject to a MCL, action level, maximum residual disinfectant level, or treatment technique (regulated contaminants).

(ii) Contaminants for which monitoring is required by § 141.40 (unregulated contaminants); and

(iii) Disinfection by-products or microbial contaminants for which monitoring is required by §§ 141.142 and 141.143, except as provided under paragraph (e)(1) of this section, and which are detected in the finished water.

(2) The data relating to these contaminants must be displayed in one table or in several adjacent tables. Any additional monitoring results which a community water system chooses to include in its report must be displayed separately.

(3) The data must be derived from data collected to comply with EPA and State monitoring and analytical requirements during calendar year 1998 for the first report and subsequent calendar years thereafter except that:

(i) Where a system is allowed to monitor for regulated contaminants less often than once a year, the table(s) must include the date and results of the most recent sampling and the report must include a brief statement indicating that the data presented in the report are from the most recent testing done in accordance with the regulations. No data older than 5 years need be included.

(ii) Results of monitoring in compliance with §§ 141.142 and 141.143 need only be included for 5 years from the date of last sample or until any of the detected contaminants becomes regulated and subject to routine monitoring requirements, whichever comes first.