To promote public health protection and the public's right to know about local environmental information, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is requiring water suppliers to put annual drinking water quality reports into the hands of their customers. These consumer confidence reports, which EPA developed in consultation with water suppliers, environmental groups, and the states, will enable Americans to make practical, knowledgeable decisions about their health and their environment.

A survey conducted by the American Water Works Research Foundation in 1993 found that nearly two-thirds of water consumers surveyed said they received "very little" or "no" information on the quality of their water. The consumer confidence reports will increase the availability of information. Informed and involved citizens can be strong allies of water systems, large and small, as they take action on pressing problems. Also, an increase in public awareness can give sensitive subpopulations the information that they need to protect themselves.

http://www.epa.gov/ogwdw000/smallsys/ndwac/consumer.html

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