What Is a Consumer Confidence Report (CCR)?
Under the Safe Drinking Water Act amendment of 1996, every public water system in the United States is required to publish and distribute an annual Consumer Confidence Report (CCR). For Orlando homeowners, this means two sources: Orange County Utilities (OCU) publishes one report for the Orlando service area, and Kissimmee Utilities Authority (KUA) publishes a separate report for Kissimmee and parts of southeast Orange County.
The CCR is essentially a water utility's annual report card. It details where your water comes from, what contaminants were detected, how those levels compare to federal and state standards, and what the utility is doing to improve water quality. Think of it as the closest thing to transparency you get about the water flowing through your pipes.
Most CCRs follow a standard structure mandated by the EPA. The first section explains the source of your water — groundwater from the Floridan Aquifer for OCU, or a combination of surface water and groundwater for some KUA areas. The second section is a compliance table listing every contaminant tested, the detected concentration, the regulatory limit, and whether the utility is in compliance. The third section discusses water quality initiatives, planned upgrades, and customer service information.
Here is the critical context that most homeowners miss: the CCR reports water quality at the utility's treatment plant or distribution main. It does not account for what happens after the water leaves the utility's pipes and enters your home's plumbing. Lead from older home pipes, copper from copper plumbing, or bacterial contamination from stagnant water in your well or house pipes are not reflected in the CCR.
This gap between utility-level and faucet-level water quality is why the CCR is a starting point, not a conclusion. It tells you what the utility is delivering. But to truly understand your water, you need to test it yourself — at your own faucet, in your own home.
Key Sections of the CCR You Should Read
Don't just file the CCR away unread. Here are the sections that matter most, and what to look for:
The Contaminants Table (Section 4 or 5 in most CCRs). This is the core of the report. It lists detected contaminants, their concentration in µg/L (micrograms per liter) or ppb (parts per billion), the MCL (Maximum Contaminant Level) set by the EPA, and the source of each contaminant. Look for these columns:
| Column | What It Means | Red Flag |
|---|---|---|
| Contaminant Name | The chemical, metal, or microbe detected | Lead, arsenic, nitrate, PFAS |
| Detected Level | Actual concentration found in the water supply | Close to or above MCL |
| MCL | Legal maximum allowed by EPA | Not a red flag itself |
| MCLG | Non-enforceable health goal (zero when possible) | Detected level significantly above MCLG |
| Unit of Measure | ppb, ppm, CF/100mL, NTU | Unknown units |
Source Water Assessment. This section describes where your water comes from and the potential sources of contamination around those sources. For Orlando's OCU-supplied water, this means the Floridan Aquifer and the South Creek Wastewater Reclamation Plant. The assessment identifies nearby industrial sites, agricultural operations, and other potential contamination sources.
Compliance History. Review this section for any violations in the past three years. A single violation does not necessarily mean your water is unsafe, but it signals areas where the utility may need improvement. Pay special attention to Treatment Technique violations (which mean the utility did not properly treat the water) versus Monitoring and Reporting violations (which are administrative lapses).
Red Flags to Watch For in the CCR
While most CCRs will show utilities in full compliance, here are warning signs that deserve attention:
Contaminants detected near the MCL. If a contaminant's detected level is within 20-30% of the Maximum Contaminant Level, it is technically compliant but close enough to warrant attention. For lead, which has an action level of 15 ppb, detections approaching 10-12 ppb should prompt you to test your own faucet.
Disinfection byproducts trending upward. When utilities use chloramine (as OCU does), trihalomethanes (TTHMs) and haloacetic acids (HAA5) form as byproducts. The CCR will show detected levels. If you see these increasing year over year, it suggests the organic load in the source water is rising — a trend you can confirm with home testing.
New contaminants appearing. If a contaminant was not detected in previous years but appears in the current report (even at very low levels), it may indicate a new contamination source or improved detection technology. PFAS, for example, was virtually undetectable a decade ago and now shows up in many Florida water reports due to improved analytical methods.
Boil water advisories or consumer alerts. These will be prominently featured in the CCR. Even if resolved, they indicate vulnerabilities in the distribution system. A single boil advisory affects hundreds of thousands of customers and warrants follow-up testing once the advisory is lifted.
Beyond the CCR: Testing Your Home's Water
The CCR tells you about the utility's water. Testing your home's water tells you about your water. Here is why both matter:
Pipe age matters. Homes built before 1986 may have lead solder. Homes built between 1960-1990 may have galvanized steel pipes. Homes built after 1990 may have copper or PEX. Each material interacts differently with water chemistry, and the CCR does not reflect your home's specific plumbing.
Water stagnation matters. If your kitchen faucet has been unused for several hours (overnight, while at work), the water sitting in your pipes can accumulate metals from the plumbing itself. The EPA recommends flushing your tap for 30 seconds to 2 minutes before using water for drinking or cooking — and testing the first-draw sample to see what the stagnant water contains.
Well owners have additional responsibilities. If you are on a private well, the CCR does not apply to you at all. You are solely responsible for testing your water. The Florida Department of Health recommends annual testing for bacteria and nitrate, and a comprehensive panel every 3-5 years including arsenic, manganese, uranium, and pesticides.
Pro tip: Download the OCU CCR from ocfl.net/ocu or the KUA CCR from kua.kissimmee.fl.us. Read the contaminants table carefully. Then, if anything catches your eye, follow up with targeted home testing. A professional on-site test from a water treatment company gives you immediate results for the most important parameters — hardness, lead, pH, and chlorine — and costs nothing if they offer complimentary testing.
Is the CCR the same for all neighborhoods?
No — the CCR is utility-wide, covering the entire service area. Quality can vary by distance from the treatment plant, pipe age in specific areas, and local distribution system conditions. If you live near the edge of OCU's service area, your water may have been in the pipes longer than for customers closer to the treatment plant.
Can I get more detailed testing than the CCR provides?
Yes — professional testing analyzes 50+ parameters with laboratory accuracy. The CCR tests for a standard set of contaminants but may not include emerging contaminants like PFAS, specific heavy metals, or well-specific parameters. An EPA-certified lab provides a much more comprehensive analysis tailored to your specific concerns.
How often is the CCR updated?
Annually, published by June each year for the previous calendar year's water quality data. OCU typically mails the CCR to customers in June or July, and it is also available on their website. KUA follows a similar schedule.
Does the CCR test for lead?
Yes, but it tests at the utility treatment plant and distribution mains, not at individual customer faucets. Lead levels at your faucet depend on your home's plumbing, which is why the EPA requires separate lead tap water sampling programs. Your faucet may show higher lead levels than the CCR reports.
Where can I download the CCR?
OCU's CCR is available at ocfl.net/ocu under the Water Quality section. KUA's CCR is available at kua.kissimmee.fl.us. Both utilities also provide printed copies upon request.
Should I be worried if my CCR shows any contaminants?
Not necessarily. The CCR only reports detected contaminants at concentrations above the detection limit of the testing equipment — which is often far below any health concern. Every water source contains some naturally occurring minerals. The key is whether detected levels are within or approaching regulatory limits.
Using Your CCR to Choose a Water Treatment System
Your Consumer Confidence Report is not just an informational document — it is a practical tool for selecting the right water treatment system. Here is how to use each section of the CCR to make treatment decisions:
- If the CCR shows high TTHMs/HAA5. Trihalomethanes and haloacetic acids form when chlorine/chloramine reacts with organic matter in water. A catalytic carbon whole-house filter or a carbon block under-sink filter removes these byproducts effectively. For the purest drinking water, a reverse osmosis system removes 95-99% of TTHMs and HAA5.
- If the CCR shows lead near the action level. Even if the utility-level lead is below 15 ppb, your specific home may have higher lead levels from old plumbing. If the CCR shows lead detections approaching 10 ppb, install an NSF/ANSI 53-certified reverse osmosis or carbon filter for drinking water immediately.
- If the CCR mentions new treatment technologies. OCU South Creek DPR facility uses advanced treatment including reverse osmosis and ultraviolet disinfection. The treated water is continuously monitored and tested independently. The system has been operating safely for years and exceeds all EPA drinking water standards.
Bottom line: The Consumer Confidence Report is an excellent starting point for understanding your water quality, but it only tells half the story. Download your utility's CCR, read the contaminants table, and identify any areas of concern. Then follow up with home-level testing at your own faucet for the most accurate picture of the water your family actually drinks and uses.