Electronic Annual Report (EAR) Data from Public Drinking Water Systems
This page contains the Electronic Annual Report (EAR) Library including: files for the Division of Drinking Water's (DDW's) Electronic Annual Report (EAR) database, and supporting relational documents for data interpretation.
SWS Survey Template
Small Water Systems
LWS Survey Template
Large Water Systems
Database File Specifications
The following historical Electronic Annual Report (EAR) data are available to download and are divided among individual tab delimited text files for both Small Water Systems (SWS) and Large Water Systems (LWS) by reporting year (RY). These database files consist variables to consider, cited in the Data Dictionary, and they include:
- Water System Activity changes
- Water System must start report Submission
- Survey Question Design
- Add or remove Questions by Year & Survey Template
- Modifications to design including
- Question Title
- Data Type
- Answer Specifications
It is recommended you unzip the file and store it on your local desktop. Additionally, it is suggested to use a software program compatible with importing txt files.
NOTE: Files include a range of records 10 columns wide and 4 to 8 million records tall. Be sure to reference the Data Dictionary for the details specific to the reporting year identified by its EAR question-answer primary key made up of Section Name, dash, Question ID.
Reference Tools
- EAR Data Dictionary (Excel / CSV) compatible with all reporting years
- Water System Inventory (Excel / CSV)
- Data source is Safe Drinking Water Information System (SDWIS), database of repository for DDW, and available for display by water system on Public Drinking Water Watch (PDWW).
- Results with Import Errors (Excel)
- These results include the compiled importing errors as they exist.
NOTICE TO USERS OF THE DATABASE: Users of this database should use care in interpreting these data. Data that does not meet DDW data quality objectives is included and the provided data may not be representative of current inventory and operating status of the public water system. Data that DDW considers Personally Identifiable Information (PII) per California Consumer Privacy Act is not included. User inquiries about survey question answers are often best addressed by the specific public water system, or by the associated DDW district or County LPA field offices.
Planning ahead
- 2019RY database files to be released in line with updated collection deadlines.
- 2009 – 2012RY data require additional internal resolution for release in 2020.
Contact Us
Please contact us if you have any questions or comments about the data.
Stephen.Burke@waterboards.ca.gov
