2026 water quality report guide
Every US water utility had to deliver its annual water quality report by July 1. Most people never open it. This guide shows you what the numbers mean, what the report cannot see at your tap, and what to do next.
The quick picture
Every community water system serving 25 or more people must publish this report and deliver it by July 1. The core of it is a detections table. For each contaminant you will see the level found, the MCL (the enforceable legal limit), and the MCLG (the health-based goal). When the level found sits below the MCL, your utility is in compliance. When the MCLG is lower than the MCL, as it is for lead where the goal is zero, that gap is worth understanding rather than worrying about: it usually means treatment technology and cost set the legal line, not just health data.
If the report lists a violation, read that section first and follow your utility's guidance. If not, scan the detections table for anything sitting close to its MCL, and note running annual averages for disinfection byproducts like TTHMs.
Most numbers are in ppb (parts per billion) or ppm (parts per million). One ppb is roughly one drop in an Olympic swimming pool, which is why context beats panic when a detection appears.
CCR data comes from treatment plants and distribution sampling points. Lead from older household plumbing, for example, can show up at your tap even when the system-wide report looks clean.
What the report covers, and what it cannot see
CCRs cover the roughly 90 contaminants EPA regulates. Microplastics and most PFAS compounds are not on that list, so they rarely appear. In fact, on July 1, 2026 EPA proposed its next unregulated contaminant monitoring rule naming 30 more chemicals to study, and declined to include microplastics. That national data will not even start arriving until 2028. Your report is the best free snapshot you can get. It is just not the last word at your tap.
The simple checklist
Turning the report into next steps
Activated carbon is the textbook fix for the most common report findings: chlorine taste and odor, disinfection byproducts, and lead at the point of use. Epic's CoreXchange media pairs a nano fiber wrap with a carbon fiber block. Honest boundary: if your report flags nitrate, carbon is not the tool; that takes reverse osmosis or ion exchange, and a violation means follow your utility's instructions first.
A look inside
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The everyday answer to the most common report findings at your tap.
The same Pure XP filtration with more ready-to-pour capacity.
For microbiological concerns and microplastics while maintaining fluoride.
Tap-first filtration for kitchens where you want the counter clear.
Fast decision guide
The report tells you what is in the system. The product decision is a daily-use problem.
Quick answers
A CCR is the annual water quality report your community water system must deliver by July 1 each year. It summarizes where your water comes from, which regulated contaminants were detected during the prior year, and how those detections compare to federal limits.
The MCL (Maximum Contaminant Level) is the enforceable legal limit for a contaminant. The MCLG (Maximum Contaminant Level Goal) is the health-based goal, set at the level where no known or expected health risk exists. For some contaminants, like lead, the goal is zero even though the enforceable trigger is higher.
No violations means your utility met federal standards at its sampling points. It does not measure what happens between the treatment plant and your faucet, such as lead from older household plumbing, and it does not cover most unregulated contaminants. It is a strong starting point, not the whole picture.
CCRs focus on regulated contaminants. Many contaminants people ask about, including microplastics and most PFAS compounds, are not yet federally regulated, so they usually do not appear. On July 1, 2026, EPA proposed monitoring 30 additional unregulated contaminants, but that data collection would not start until 2028.
Activated carbon is the classic fix for chlorine taste and odor and for disinfection byproducts like TTHMs and HAA5. Epic's Pure XP carbon block is independently tested to reduce 99.4% of TTHMs, 99.8% of HAA5, 99.9% of lead, and over 99.9% of microplastics. Contaminants like nitrate need reverse osmosis or ion exchange instead.
Pure XP and Nano XP are NSF certified to Standard 42 and NSF/ANSI/CAN 372, which cover material safety and lead-free compliance for the parts that touch your water. Contaminant-reduction performance, such as lead and TTHM numbers, is independently lab tested and published; those performance results are separate from the NSF certifications.
Check your utility's website, the mailing or email that arrived around July 1, or EPA's CCR search tool at epa.gov/ccr. If you rent, your landlord or the utility can provide it. Private wells are not covered, so well owners should test independently.
Ready to make it simple?
Pure XP for the common report findings and broad everyday filtration. Nano XP for microbiological and microplastics priorities. Dispenser for more household capacity.
Consumer Confidence Report requirements, deadlines, and reading guidance are summarized from EPA CCR consumer resources and the EPA Safe Drinking Water Act CCR program. The proposed Sixth Unregulated Contaminant Monitoring Rule (30 contaminants, published July 1, 2026, monitoring 2028 to 2030, microplastics declined) is summarized from the Federal Register and Holland & Knight's analysis. NSF standards background is summarized from NSF consumer resources. Product claims are based on Epic Water Filters published testing and certification information. NSF certification and independent contaminant-reduction testing are not the same thing; review each product page and testing documentation for exact standards, claims, and contaminant lists. A point-of-use filter supplements, and does not replace, your utility's treatment or any advisory instructions. Product performance can vary by water quality, usage, and filter replacement schedule. Last updated July 2026.
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