How to Request Drinking Water Contamination Records

Water quality records — including PFAS testing, violation reports, and contamination data — are public records held by federal, state, and local agencies. Here's how to get them.

Key Agencies to Target

EPA: National-level enforcement actions and contamination data

State environmental agencies: State-specific testing and violation data

Local water utilities: Treatment records, test results, consumer confidence reports

What to Request

PFAS/forever chemicals testing results for specific water systems

Drinking water violation notices and enforcement actions

Industrial discharge permits and monitoring reports

Correspondence between regulators and water systems about contamination

Remediation plans and timelines

Sample Request Language

I am requesting all records related to PFAS (per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances) testing, detection, and remediation for [WATER SYSTEM NAME/ID] including test results, violation notices, correspondence with regulatory agencies, and any remediation or treatment plans, for the period of [START DATE] to [END DATE].

Why This Matters

Many communities are only now discovering contamination that has been known to regulators for years. FOIA requests have been instrumental in uncovering:

Military base contamination from firefighting foam

Industrial discharge into drinking water sources

Delayed notifications to affected communities

File your water contamination records request →