Frequently Asked Questions
Consumer Confidence Report
This guidance is for water system owners and operators with specific questions on Consumer Confidence Report (CCR) content requirements and report formatting. It does NOT list the many other requirements required by these rules. Please refer to the additional information links and contacts at the end of this fact sheet for further information.
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- What is a CCR?
The CCR (or Consumer Confidence Report), is an annual water quality report that a community water system provides to its customers. The report is distributed to the consumer explaining the quality of their drinking water, if there are any contaminants in the water and how it may affect their health, what it takes to provide quality water and the importance of its protection for the future.
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- What are the CCR requirements and who do they apply to?
Only community water systems that serve the same people year-round provide CCRs to their customers. The report must contain several components which are explained in the CCR guidelines found on our website (see the link at the bottom of this page).
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- Why do I have to submit a CCR every year?
CCRs are required under the federal Safe Drinking Water Act, and the applicable state and federal rules, to be distributed to consumers and DES by July 1, of every year. The CCR Certification is to be submitted to DES within 10 days of distribution but no later than July 10. While the CCR details a lot of technical information, you are encouraged to use it as a communication tool to increase public awareness of the importance of protecting New Hampshire's water supplies and to provide a better understanding of the value of the water your system is providing.
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- How do I distribute the CCR to the consumers?
A water system owner MUST mail or directly deliver a CCR to each consumer by July 1 of each year. Some electronic delivery methods are now considered acceptable. In addition to these methods, in an effort to reach customers who may not normally be reached by traditional means, you may also post the CCR on your website, publish an article in the newspaper, or post it in a public area. Visit the DES CCR page and view the "New Information for 2013" document for more on electronic delivery: des.nh.gov/organization/divisions/water/dwgb/capacity/consumer.htm
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- What if I didn’t keep records needed to prepare my CCR?
Since there are state and federal requirements for water system record retention, you should keep all records in a secure and easily retrievable location. These retention requirements can be found on our website by using the link at the bottom of this page.
If you submitted your test results to the DES lab or an accredited private lab that reports results to DES electronically, you may find your results on our OneStop data website by using the link at the bottom of this page. Any laboratory that you use should have your test results on file. All records are maintained at DES, so you may request to conduct a review of your files for this purpose.
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- Is there a specific format I should use for creating the CCR and where do I find it?
There is a template on our website that you may use, but it is not required. As long as your CCR contains all the required information as outlined in the rules, you may create and design your own report.
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- How much information should I include when describing the source and location of the well for the water system?
Each CCR must identify the source(s) of the water delivered by the water system including the type of water (groundwater, surface water or both) and its general location.
Example: The water provided to you by the ABC Water Company comes from one bedrock well as well as ABC lake. The well is located next to the tennis court and the lake is located beyond the field, west of the pump house.
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- Why do I need to mention contact and public participation information in the CCR?
To ensure that your customers are able to obtain information or participate in decision making processes, you are required to include the following:
- The contact information of the owner and primary operator of your water system (name and phone numbers).
- The date, time, and location of any regularly scheduled board, commissioner, or business meeting that can be attended by those customers that are interested in decisions that affect the quality of the water.
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