Water Records Help
How to Contact Your Water Utility About Official Records
Your water utility is the authoritative source for current records, service area information, and recent notices. Most utilities respond to direct inquiries about Consumer Confidence Reports, PWSID, and current compliance status.
What this page helps with
- Knowing what to ask your utility when reviewing official records
- Finding your utility's contact information
- Using a clear email template to request records information
- Understanding what response to expect and where to escalate if needed
Important: Water Utility Report summarizes official records and source data. It does not determine whether water is safe to drink. For current safety guidance, check your utility, state drinking water agency, local health department, or a certified laboratory.
What official records can show
- The utility's PWSID and official service area as registered with EPA
- Contact information for the utility when available in EPA records
- Whether a Consumer Confidence Report link has been submitted to EPA's CCR database
What official records may not show
- Direct contact information for the utility's records or compliance staff
- Recent correspondence, notices, or public statements not entered into federal databases
- Current compliance status if a violation was recently resolved but not yet updated in federal records
How to find your utility's contact information
- Check your most recent water bill — it typically includes a customer service phone number and mailing address.
- Search the utility's name on Water Utility Report — contact information is displayed when available in EPA records.
- Search your state drinking water agency's utility directory — most states maintain a searchable database.
- Use EPA's SDWIS public search to look up contact details by PWSID.
What to ask
- The utility's PWSID if you are not certain you have the right system.
- A link to or copy of the most recent Consumer Confidence Report.
- Whether the utility has conducted PFAS or UCMR 5 sampling, and where results are published.
- The current status of any violation records you have identified in official databases.
- Who to contact for ongoing record-specific questions.
Copyable Email Template
Subject: Question about official water records for {Utility Name}
Replace {Utility Name} and {PWSID if known} with your utility's actual name and ID before sending.
If your utility does not respond
If you do not receive a response within a reasonable period, contact your state drinking water program. States are responsible for overseeing public water systems and can assist with records requests. You can find your state drinking water program contact through EPA's SDWA contacts page.
What to check next
What this does not mean
- This page does not determine whether water is safe or unsafe to drink.
- A detection record does not automatically mean a violation.
- A missing record does not prove a contaminant is absent.
- Federal datasets may lag behind current local conditions.
- Household plumbing, private wells, and point-of-use conditions may differ from utility-level records.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is my water utility required to answer my questions about records?
Under EPA's Public Notification Rule, utilities must notify customers of certain violations. Consumer Confidence Reports must be provided to all customers annually. For general records inquiries, utilities are generally responsive, but there is no federal requirement to respond to every individual inquiry.
What is a PWSID and where do I find it?
A Public Water System Identifier (PWSID) is a unique code assigned by EPA to each public water system. It appears on Water Utility Report pages. It may also appear on your water bill, Consumer Confidence Report, or in your state's utility directory.
What is a Consumer Confidence Report?
A Consumer Confidence Report (CCR) is an annual report that community water systems must provide to customers. It describes the water source, treatment process, and results of required monitoring. CCRs must be delivered or made available to customers by July 1 each year for the preceding calendar year.
Who do I contact if my utility is unresponsive?
Contact your state drinking water program. States are responsible for overseeing public water systems and have authority to require utilities to respond to compliance questions. EPA's SDWA contacts page lists state drinking water program contacts.
Can I request records under public records laws?
Many utility records are public under state open records or FOIA laws. If a utility is publicly operated, you may be able to submit a public records request. Contact your state's records office or state drinking water agency for guidance specific to your state.