Do You Need to Send Printed Copies of Your Consumer Confidence Report (CCR)?
Summary of EPA and State Guidance on Need to Print and Mail CCR
A Consumer Confidence Report (CCR)—sometimes called an Annual Drinking Water Quality Report—is one of the most important communication tools a water system provides to its customers. Required by the Safe Drinking Water Act, CCRs let people know where their water comes from, what’s in it, and whether it meets federal and state safety standards. Every year, community water systems must make these reports available by July 1 (EPA, ECFR).
Are Printed Copies for all Customers Required?
The short answer: no in most cases.
All states now allow electronic delivery of CCRs, as long as it is direct and accessible (e.g., emailed as a PDF, sent as a direct link, or included on a billing insert with a clear web address).
All states still require utilities to provide a printed copy if a customer asks for one.
So, while mailing paper reports to every household is no longer the universal requirement, utilities must ensure that customers who prefer or need a paper copy can easily get one.
However, aside from compliance requirements, there are also other benefits for printing and mailing Consumer Confidence Reports.
Receiving a physical report builds credibility and shows the water system values transparency.
Tangible reports can reassure customers that water quality is being monitored and communicated proactively.
Customers are more likely to skim or read a printed report that arrives in the mail than click a link in an email or utility bill insert.
Other useful messages such as conservation tips, contact information, rate changes, etc can also be communicated alongside the CCR requirements.
Options for Delivery
Traditional Paper Delivery
Many systems still mail or hand-deliver CCRs, which is always considered compliant. Small systems (serving fewer than 10,000 people) may sometimes publish the CCR in a newspaper or on a website if their state allows it, but they must still directly notify customers.Electronic Delivery
Acceptable methods include:Emailing the CCR as a PDF attachment.
Sending a direct web link (must go straight to the report, not just a homepage).
Including the link in a mailed notice or billing insert.
The key requirement: customers should not have to hunt for the report online. (EPA Guidance)
State-by-State Differences
While the baseline rules are the same nationwide, some states add extra steps or documentation requirements. For example:
California
State Water Board CCR guidance and templates emphasize that electronic delivery must be “direct” (URL should take the user directly to the CCR without extra searching or logging in). CA Water Board
New York
Utilities must include direct links in billing statements or notices if the CCR is hosted online; also, a copy must be submitted to the NY State Department of Health (NYS DOH CCR Guidance).
North Carolina
If delivery is by web link only, systems must also mail customers a notice containing the direct link to ensure easy access (NC DEQ CCR Memo, 2013).
Pennsylvania
PA DEP says if a supplier posts the CCR on a website it “must provide a direct URL to their customers so that the report can be opened from that link.” (Pennsylvania.gov)
Virginia
Virginia’s CCR Electronic Delivery Guidelines require that the web address be “prominently displayed” in notifications and must provide a direct link to the entire CCR so the customer does not have to search. Virginia Department of Health
Washington
WA Dept. of Health CCR instructions and FAQs reference the need to directly deliver the CCR (via a direct Web address (URL)). If a WA water system is aware of a customer’s inability to receive a CCR electronically, it must continue to provide a paper copy. Washington State Department of Health
What’s Changing Under the Revised CCR Rule?
The EPA’s Revised Consumer Confidence Report Rule (finalized in 2024) introduces new requirements that will start taking effect in 2027:
Systems serving 10,000 or more people must send CCRs twice a year (by July 1 and December 31).
Reports must include clear executive summaries, translation or accessibility options for non-English speakers and those with disabilities, and details on how to request a paper copy.
Systems must submit delivery certification to the state within 10 days of the deadline (EPA Revised CCR FAQ, 2024).
The Bottom Line
Printed copies aren’t always required anymore—but direct delivery is. Whether through the mail or electronically, every customer must have easy access to the CCR, and all utilities must still honor requests for paper copies.
At the same time, states may add extra paperwork, certification, or notice requirements on top of the federal rules.
How Veritosa Can Help
At Veritosa, we help water systems stay compliant with both federal and state CCR rules. We can deliver reports in formats that are:
Print-ready for customers who want physical copies.
Email-ready for direct electronic delivery.
Compliant with EPA and state-specific requirements.
As new rules phase in and old ones change, we’ll also be expanding our support to include those to ensure compliance and make things even easier for our customers.