# How to Read a Utah Water Quality Report

> Canonical source: [How to Read a Utah Water Quality Report](https://www.utahwaterquality.com/guides/read-water-quality-report)

Find the right Utah water report, understand detected results and drinking-water limits, and separate report dates from sample dates.

Reading reports · Utah Water Quality

# How to read your water-quality report.

Confirm the provider, check the testing dates, and read each result alongside its unit and compliance explanation.

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## Start with the system on your water bill

A Consumer Confidence Report (CCR) describes one community water system. Match its name and public water system ID (PWSID) with your bill. Your city or ZIP can include several providers. [Utah DEQ recommends requesting the report from your supplier](https://deq.utah.gov/ddw/consumer-guide).

Use our [address lookup](https://www.utahwaterquality.com/lookup) or [city directory](https://www.utahwaterquality.com/cities) to narrow the possibilities, then confirm the provider before relying on its results.

## Check the report year and the sample dates

[EPA requires community systems to deliver an annual report by July 1](https://www.epa.gov/ccr/understanding-your-annual-water-quality-report). An annual summary is not a live tap reading. Read the sampling period beside each result; some substances are monitored less frequently. For an issue happening now, check the utility’s current notices.

## Read the detected value and the limit together

A detection alone does not establish a violation. Read the result, unit, applicable standard, and violation column together. [CDC’s report guide](https://www.cdc.gov/drinking-water/about/how-to-read-drinking-water-quality-reports.html) explains the information a CCR contains.

Common labels in drinking-water reports

| Label | Meaning |
|-------|---------|
| MCL   | Maximum Contaminant Level: an enforceable limit for public water systems. |
| MCLG  | Maximum Contaminant Level Goal: a non-enforceable health goal. |
| TT    | Treatment Technique: a required treatment process. |
| AL    | Action Level: a level that triggers specified system actions under the applicable rule. |
| ND    | Not detected at the test’s reporting level; it does not prove absolute absence. |

## Keep the compliance calculation in view

[EPA’s drinking-water standards](https://www.epa.gov/ground-water-and-drinking-water/national-primary-drinking-water-regulations) use different limits and treatment requirements. A range, an average, and a single high result can mean different things. Keep the units together and read the report’s notes before interpreting a comparison.

Lead can enter water through service lines or household plumbing. A system-level result cannot describe every faucet. If that is your concern, follow [EPA’s lead guidance](https://www.epa.gov/ground-water-and-drinking-water/basic-information-about-lead-drinking-water) and ask about a properly collected home sample.

## Choose a next step that answers your question

- Missing report or unclear violation? Contact the provider named in the report.
- Question about your own tap? Read [when and how to test](https://www.utahwaterquality.com/guides/test-your-water).
- Considering treatment? [Match the treatment to the measured concern](https://www.utahwaterquality.com/guides/filters-and-softeners).
- Using a private well? Start with the [Utah private-well testing guide](https://www.utahwaterquality.com/private-wells).

## Official sources

- [Utah DEQ: Drinking Water Consumer Guide ↗](https://deq.utah.gov/ddw/consumer-guide)
- [EPA: Annual Water Quality Reports ↗](https://www.epa.gov/ccr/understanding-your-annual-water-quality-report)
- [CDC: How to Read Drinking Water Quality Reports ↗](https://www.cdc.gov/drinking-water/about/how-to-read-drinking-water-quality-reports.html)
- [EPA: National Primary Drinking Water Regulations ↗](https://www.epa.gov/ground-water-and-drinking-water/national-primary-drinking-water-regulations)
- [EPA: Lead in Drinking Water ↗](https://www.epa.gov/ground-water-and-drinking-water/basic-information-about-lead-drinking-water)

Report years and sample dates may differ from the review date of this guide. Follow the issuing utility or health authority for an active advisory.

## Keep reading

- [When to Test Your Utah Tap Water & Find a Certified Lab](https://www.utahwaterquality.com/guides/test-your-water)
- [Water Filter or Softener? A Guide for Utah Homes](https://www.utahwaterquality.com/guides/filters-and-softeners)
- [Private Well Water Testing in Utah](https://www.utahwaterquality.com/private-wells)
- [All water guides](https://www.utahwaterquality.com/guides)