Standards & Reporting

Monitoring Requirements

Environment Protection Agency (EPA) rules require tap water suppliers must report all of their required monitoring results and any drinking water standards violations to EPA or the state if it has “primary enforcement authority” as Missouri does. Tap water suppliers are also required to keep their bacterial results on file for 5 years and chemical tests for 10 years. This allows for effective EPA and state facility inspections and compliance tracking. 

The National Resources Defense Council report states, “Food and Drug Administration (FDA) rules include no provision obligating a bottler to notify FDA or a state of test results, contamination problems, or violations, even in the case of contamination that could pose a serious health threat.” Also, FDA requires test results be kept for only two years. By the FDA’s own admission, bottled water plants are inspected MAYBE once every 4 or 5 years. 

Not Reporting

This combination of not reporting, rare inspections and the short amount of time test results are kept on file contributes to many contamination problems never being found by FDA and makes enforcement and compliance monitoring nonexistent. It also means that bottled water drinkers who want to know what is in their drinking water, or if any violations of water quality standards have occurred are out of luck. 

Tap Water Reports

Tap water drinkers, on the other hand, have access to any and all possible violations of drinking water standards through EPA’s website and the yearly publication of the Consumer Confidence Report. The Consumer Confidence Report (CCR) is an annual water quality report that a municipal or community water system is required to provide to its customers. The CCR is a general overview of the water quality delivered to your tap. 

The report lists the regulated contaminants that were detected and the levels at which they were found. It also lists any possible health effects related to the contaminants. Once again Moberly proudly proclaims that the City’s compliance with all state and federal drinking water laws remains exemplary. (Copies of the City’s CCR are available at City Hall.) Matt Everts, Chief Operator, and his crew at the Drinking Water Treatment Plant are committed to keeping the City of Moberly supplied with an abundance of safe drinking water. Turn on the tap and experience it for yourself!