--- title: "Water quality report units, ranges, and sample dates" description: "Copy water report table evidence with its units, qualifiers, ranges, and sample dates. 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The office needs to copy the relevant evidence so the trade lead can read it without guessing what a number means. Start with the complete row, column headings, units, dates, and footnotes. Keep transcription separate from interpretation. The finished note should show what the report says and where it says it. It should also identify anything the office could not read or confirm. A public system summary does not measure one customer's faucet. First complete the [utility and reporting-year identity check](/articles/water-quality-report-utility-year-plumbing-intake). A perfectly copied row from the wrong supplier or edition remains the wrong reference. The workflow below proposes an office worksheet, not an official reporting form or a technical determination. ## Open the table and its definitions together Use the complete official document when available. A cropped image can omit the heading that explains a result. A text extraction can separate a value from its row. Keep the visible page available while preparing the note. EPA's [water quality report infographic](https://epa.gov/sites/production/files/2018-02/documents/epa-ogwdw-ccr-infographic-v5_508.pdf) distinguishes result columns, ranges, sample dates, and regulatory labels. It is an explanatory example. Its historical sample entries are not current observations for the customer or their supplier. Read the particular report's own definitions before copying a value. Record the table name and page number. Include the row's substance label exactly enough to distinguish it from similarly named substances. If a symbol points to a footnote, carry that reference into the service note. For a long table, transcribe one requested row at a time. Check it against the document before adding the next row. This keeps the review focused on the evidence needed for the authorized question. It also limits unnecessary copying of unrelated material. ## Keep the number attached to its unit A value without a unit is incomplete evidence. Preserve parts per million, parts per billion, milligrams per liter, micrograms per liter, or another printed unit. Define abbreviations in the note when the report supplies those definitions. EPA explains that milligrams per liter correspond to parts per million in its [primary drinking water regulations reference](https://www.epa.gov/ground-water-and-drinking-water/national-primary-drinking-water-regulations). That does not authorize treating every table value as a concentration. Other rows can describe different measures. Raleigh's [2025 report](https://cityofraleigh0drupal.blob.core.usgovcloudapi.net/drupal-prod/COR25/water-consumer-confidence-report-2025.pdf) distinguishes ppm, ppb, turbidity units, and a removal ratio. Preserve the row's actual unit. For an office source note, retain the printed value and unit before considering any normalized field. If a later reviewer needs a conversion, keep the original transcription alongside the derived value. Name the conversion separately. Never overwrite the publisher's evidence with an unexplained replacement. ## Separate standards, goals, and results A Maximum Contaminant Level, or MCL, is an allowed maximum. A Maximum Contaminant Level Goal, or MCLG, is a health goal. A Treatment Technique, or TT, describes a required process. EPA distinguishes these labels in its [official definitions](https://www.epa.gov/ground-water-and-drinking-water/national-primary-drinking-water-regulations). An Action Level, or AL, triggers system requirements when exceeded, according to Raleigh's report. Keep AL separate from MCL. [Report definitions, page 4](https://cityofraleigh0drupal.blob.core.usgovcloudapi.net/drupal-prod/COR25/water-consumer-confidence-report-2025.pdf). Keep the publisher's reported result separate from every reference column. A number in a goal column is not the measured result. A blank reference field is not evidence of zero. If the report uses brackets for a separate disinfectant label, preserve that convention with its explanation. The office should not calculate a household compliance verdict from these columns. Copy the report's own status label only with its table context. Questions about applicability or meaning belong with the utility or qualified reviewer. This article supplies no universal action threshold. ## Preserve the summary type and range Read the full result heading. A summary labeled as a percentile is different from an average, a maximum, or a single sample. Copy that label into the note instead of reducing every result to “level.” Raleigh labels its lead-and-copper result column as a 90th percentile and supplies a separate low-to-high range. Retain both fields. [Lead and copper table, page 4](https://cityofraleigh0drupal.blob.core.usgovcloudapi.net/drupal-prod/COR25/water-consumer-confidence-report-2025.pdf). For a range, retain both endpoints and any qualifier on either endpoint. Do not select the upper value and present it as the publisher's summary result. Do not replace a range with its midpoint. Both edits would add an interpretation that the original row did not supply. Keep “not detected,” “not applicable,” and unreadable text distinct. Use the report's definition for each abbreviation. If the original contains a less-than sign, preserve it. A display field that accepts only numbers should not become the only home for qualified evidence. ## Record the row's sampling period The cover year is not a substitute for every sampling date. Preserve the row's stated year, date, or period. Check the introduction and footnotes for exceptions before recording that field as complete. Raleigh's introduction generally covers 2025, with exceptions and less frequent monitoring for some substances. Retain each row's period and qualifications. [Test-results introduction, page 4](https://cityofraleigh0drupal.blob.core.usgovcloudapi.net/drupal-prod/COR25/water-consumer-confidence-report-2025.pdf). If the period is missing from the supplied crop, inspect the full page. If the complete source still leaves it unresolved, write “sample period unresolved in inspected source.” Keep the report year in its separate identity field. Do not use the day the customer called as the sample date. For comparisons across editions, ask the reviewer to confirm that the substance, units, result type, and periods are comparable. The office can prepare the two source references without calculating a trend. A newer document does not automatically supply a newer observation for every row. ## Worked example: reject the unit mismatch **Fictional training example.** Two invented worksheet entries concern a substance called Example Substance A. Entry One reports 0.006 ppm. Entry Two reports 6 ppb. Their table headings and sample periods are supplied in the fictional exercise. A draft office summary says the second entry is one thousand times larger because it compares 6 with 0.006. Reject that summary. The units differ. The report's definitions distinguish ppm from ppb; the numeric strings alone cannot support that claim. [Raleigh report unit definitions](https://cityofraleigh0drupal.blob.core.usgovcloudapi.net/drupal-prod/COR25/water-consumer-confidence-report-2025.pdf). For this fictional concentration calculation, 0.006 ppm equals 6 ppb. The corrected note retains both original entries with their units. It flags the rejected arithmetic and requests a comparability review before describing any change. The exercise demonstrates a copying check. It establishes no contaminant result, regulatory status, or treatment need for any real system. Then compare the two headings. In this fictional case, Entry One is labeled “annual average” and Entry Two is labeled “maximum result.” Even after resolving the unit relationship, those summary types require separate review. Unit agreement alone does not make two measures interchangeable. ## Unresolved example: the date cannot be recovered **Fictional training example.** A customer supplies an image showing Example Substance B, 4 ppb, and a range marked “ND to 7.” The image omits the sample-period column. The office finds a report with the same title but cannot confirm that the image came from that edition. Record the supplied wording as customer-provided material. Keep the period and edition unresolved. Do not borrow a date from the similar report. Do not translate ND to zero. Ask for the complete source document or an official link through the approved inquiry process. The handoff can read: “Customer image transcribed. Sample period and edition unresolved. Range qualifier retained. No comparison or condition conclusion prepared.” This gives the trade lead a specific evidence gap without inventing a complete record. If the complete document later arrives, compare its row with the earlier image. Record which identity and period fields it resolves. Preserve any disagreement for review. The arrival of another attachment should not erase the reason the first note remained incomplete. ## Use a transcription worksheet This worksheet is an editorial office aid. It does not replace the publisher's report, definitions, or technical review. Table: Proposed report-table transcription worksheet | Field | Evidence to preserve | | --- | --- | | Source identity | Utility, system identity, report title, edition, original URL | | Location | Table name, page number, row label, footnote references | | Result | Printed value, unit, qualifier, and complete summary heading | | Range | Low and high entries with their original qualifiers | | Period | Printed sampling date or period and relevant exceptions | | Reference labels | MCL, MCLG, AL, TT, or other publisher labels in separate fields | | Status text | Publisher's wording with the table context retained | | Review state | Transcriber, checker, retrieval date, and unresolved question | A second reader should compare each copied field with the source page. Mark a row ready for technical review only after that comparison. Leave missing fields explicit. A complete transcription can still contain an unresolved technical question. ## Check the transcription before handoff Use this proposed checklist before sending the note for internal review: 1. Confirm the supplier and report edition against the identity record. 2. Compare each copied value with the visible source page. 3. Verify units, qualifiers, summary headings, and both range endpoints. 4. Check row dates and every relevant footnote. 5. Keep reference columns separate from reported results. 6. Name the checker and each unresolved evidence question. If a check fails, retain the useful transcription with an explicit open item. Do not replace missing evidence with an assumption. ## Finish with questions the reviewer can answer Ask the utility which definition controls an unclear abbreviation. Ask whether a stated sampling period applies to the selected row. If the report uses several summary types, ask the qualified reviewer which comparison, if any, fits the customer's question. Keep household medical details outside this source task. Do not turn public table evidence into exposure estimates, filter recommendations, or sales claims. CDC directs report questions to the water utility, health department, or EPA. [CDC report guidance](https://www.cdc.gov/drinking-water/about/how-to-read-drinking-water-quality-reports.html). The [contractor office overview](/for/plumbing-and-electrical-contractors) places this note within intake and staff review. The [intelligence guide](/intelligence/plumbing-and-electrical-contractors) describes other source-matching work. The [business memory guide](/articles/business-memory-for-ai-agents-guide) explains keeping accepted corrections available for later tasks. Scale With Search can scope an internal worksheet and review handoff around your approved records. Bring a sample with private information removed. The written scope can define the fields, source checks, and person responsible for unresolved evidence. [Discuss the service-note workflow](/work) ## Source note EPA, CDC, and Raleigh sources were reopened on 2026.10.28. The utility example is the report covering 2025. CDC's guide is dated May 1, 2024. The EPA infographic's issue date remains unverified; its sample rows are historical. Continue the website review: [AI-native plumbing and electrical: first functions to build](/articles/ai-native-plumbing-electrical-first-functions); [Chicago inspection and violation IDs: reconcile several findings on one trade job](/articles/chicago-inspection-violation-ids-trade-job-reconciliation); [Chicago violation statuses: read Open, Complied, and No Entry before job review](/articles/chicago-violation-status-trade-job-review); [Contractor license details: make your website verifiable](/articles/contractor-license-verification-website); [Contractor online booking: request or confirmed visit](/articles/contractor-online-booking-request-confirmation); [Digital marketing for electricians: a website plan](/articles/digital-marketing-electricians-website-plan); [SEO for electrical contractors: an owner checklist](/articles/electrical-contractor-seo-owner-checklist); [Plumber and electrician Google categories: choose a fit](/articles/plumber-electrician-google-profile-categories); [Plumber website prices: explain the fee and estimate](/articles/plumber-electrician-website-pricing-estimate); [Marketing for plumbers: fix the website inquiry path](/articles/plumber-marketing-website-local-search); [Plumbing and electrical AI rules: data, approvals, and spend](/articles/plumbing-electrical-ai-rules-data-approvals-spend); [Emergency plumber website: make after-hours claims clear](/articles/plumbing-electrical-emergency-website-hours); [Plumbing and electrical services: one site, clear pages](/articles/plumbing-electrical-separate-service-pages); [Plumbing city pages: decide which places need a page](/articles/plumbing-electrical-service-area-city-pages); [Water quality report identity: match the utility and reporting year in plumbing intake](/articles/water-quality-report-utility-year-plumbing-intake). [plumbing and electrical contractors](/for/plumbing-and-electrical-contractors): website and search resources. ## Related: plumbing and electrical contractors - [Water quality report identity: match the utility and reporting year in plumbing intake](/articles/water-quality-report-utility-year-plumbing-intake) - [AI-native plumbing and electrical: first functions to build](/articles/ai-native-plumbing-electrical-first-functions) - [Chicago inspection and violation IDs: reconcile several findings on one trade job](/articles/chicago-inspection-violation-ids-trade-job-reconciliation) ---- ```text .|########||. .|########||. .|########||. |##||. .||##|. |##||. .||##|. |##||. .||##|. |#|. .|#|. |#|. .|#|. |#|. .|#|. |#| |#| |#| |#| |#| |#| .#| |#. .#| |#. .#| |#. .#. .#| .#. .#| .#. .#| |#. .#| |#. .#| |#. .#| |# ...... #| |# ...... #| |# ...... #| .# ||#########| #| .# ||#########| #| .# ||#########| #| .#. |######||######|. .#. .#. |######||######|. .#. .#. |######||######|. .#. #. .##|###|##|#|######| .# #. .##|###|##|#|######| .# #. .##|###|##|#|######| .# || |##|#||||||||||||#||#| || || |##|#||||||||||||#||#| || || |##|#||||||||||||#||#| || # |#||||||||||||||||||||#| #. # |#||||||||||||||||||||#| #. # |#||||||||||||||||||||#| #. || |#||||||||||||||||||||||#| || || |#||||||||||||||||||||||#| || || |#||||||||||||||||||||||#| || # .#||||||||||||||||||||||||#| # # .#||||||||||||||||||||||||#| # # .#||||||||||||||||||||||||#| # || ....|||#||||||##|#|||#|#||##||||....|. || || ....|||#||||||##|#|||#|#||##||||....|. || || ....|||#||||||##|#|||#|#||##||||....|. || #. . ....|# ....#||| ||| .#||| ....#. .# #. . ....|# ....#||| ||| .#||| ....#. .# #. . ....|# ....#||| ||| .#||| ....#. .# # . ||||#| .#####|| . .#| .#||| ||||# #. # . ||||#| .#####|| . .#| .#||| ||||# #. # . ||||#| .#####|| . .#| .#||| ||||# #. .| ||||| #. |#|||||. || #. |#||. .||||| || .| ||||| #. |#|||||. || #. |#||. .||||| || .| ||||| #. |#|||||. || #. |#||. .||||| || || |.... #. ....|#. |. ...|. ....|| || || |.... #. ....|#. |. ...|. ....|| || || |.... #. ....|#. |. ...|. ....|| || #. .||||||##||||||##||####|||||||#||||||#| .# #. .||||||##||||||##||####|||||||#||||||#| .# #. .||||||##||||||##||####|||||||#||||||#| .# # .||####|###########################|. # # .||####|###########################|. # # .||####|###########################|. # # .#||||||.#.|| # |. ..# #| #|||||#| # # .#||||||.#.|| # |. ..# #| #|||||#| # # .#||||||.#.|| # |. ..# #| #|||||#| # # .#|||||| .. |# ## |#| ...#|#|||#| # # .#|||||| .. |# ## |#| ...#|#|||#| # # .#|||||| .. |# ## |#| ...#|#|||#| # # .#|||#|# .# .#| #| ##|.#..#|||||#| # # .#|||#|# .# .#| #| ##|.#..#|||||#| # # .#|||#|# .# .#| #| ##|.#..#|||||#| # # .#||||||############|######|||||#| # # .#||||||############|######|||||#| # # .#||||||############|######|||||#| # # |...||#||||||#||||#|#||||||#|||||#||| |.| # # |...||#||||||#||||#|#||||||#|||||#||| |.| # # |...||#||||||#||||#|#||||||#|||||#||| |.| # #. .. ||||# .|||##|. |#| .|| || .|||#. #| # .# #. .. ||||# .|||##|. |#| .|| || .|||#. #| # .# #. .. ||||# .|||##|. |#| .|| || .|||#. #| # .# || | ...|| ...##| | #| .|. |. ##### .. .| || || | ...|| ...##| | #| .|. |. ##### .. .| || || | ...|| ...##| | #| .|. |. ##### .. .| || || ||||| || ||||#| . |. |. |#. ||||| |#| || || || ||||| || ||||#| . |. |. |#. ||||| |#| || || || ||||| || ||||#| . |. |. |#. ||||| |#| || || .# |.....#|....|#.||||.|||##.|#|....||.#||.#. #. .# |.....#|....|#.||||.|||##.|#|....||.#||.#. #. .# |.....#|....|#.||||.|||##.|#|....||.#||.#. #. #.|||||||#############################| ||| .# #.|||||||#############################| ||| .# #.|||||||#############################| ||| .# || ##||#||#||||||#||#||#||#||##. || || ##||#||#||||||#||#||#||#||##. || || ##||#||#||||||#||#||#||#||##. || # .#|||||||||#||#|||||||||||#| # # .#|||||||||#||#|||||||||||#| # # .#|||||||||#||#|||||||||||#| # || |#||||||||||||||||||||||#| || || |#||||||||||||||||||||||#| || || |#||||||||||||||||||||||#| || .# |#||||||||||||||||||||#| #. .# |#||||||||||||||||||||#| #. .# |#||||||||||||||||||||#| #. || |#||||||||||||||||||#| || || |#||||||||||||||||||#| || || |#||||||||||||||||||#| || #. .######|#|#########| .# #. .######|#|#########| .# #. .######|#|#########| .# .#. |#####||||#####| .#. .#. |#####||||#####| .#. .#. |#####||||#####| .#. |# ||########|| #. |# ||########|| #. |# ||########|| #. |# ...... #| |# ...... #| |# ...... #| |#. .#| |#. .#| |#. .#| |#. .#. |#. .#. |#. .#. .#| |#. .#| |#. .#| |#. |#| |#| |#| |#| |#| |#| .|#|. .|#|. .|#|. .|#|. .|#|. .|#|. |##||. .||##| |##||. .||##| |##||. .||##| .||########||. .||########||. .||########||. 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