Requirements for Language Translations

Applicable to Consumer Confidence Reports, Public Education, and Public Notice.

Applicability

There are circumstances that require public water systems to provide language translations when posting your Consumer Confidence Report (CCR), Public Education (PE), and Public Notice (PN) announcements.

For applicable regulations see 310 CMR 22.16A(8)(c) for CCR, 310 CMR 22.16(5)(c)2 for PN, 310 CMR 22.07G(7)(e) for PE
 

• If your system serves a community with 10%, or greater than 1000 people (whichever is fewer), of non-English speaking consumers, your CCR/PE/PN must contain a statement in the appropriate language(s) regarding the importance of the report.   Suggested text:
  
  This report contains important information about your drinking water.  Have someone translate it for you or speak with someone who understands it.
  
  The text above is available in multiple languages in the Language Translation Requirements for Specific MA Cities and Towns below.
   
• If 25% or more of the population served by your system speak one particular language, the entire report must be translated into that specific language and be available immediately for any who request it.

See the section below Language Translation Requirements for Specific MA Cities and Towns below that lists the cities and towns to which this requirement applies plus a table with links to translation statements.

Please note that you must deliver a copy of the translated CCR/PE/PN along with your English version to MassDEP by the deadline specified in the regulations.  The translated version must be readily available in your files; when a request is made for one, it can be sent out immediately.  

The table demographics below are taken from of the 2010 US Census.  The US Census is taken every 10 years.  The table will be updated when the 2020 US Census numbers are available.

Language Translation Requirements for Specific MA Cities and Towns

Full CCR/PE/PN Translations

Based on the 2010 U.S. Census the cities of Chelsea and Lawrence must translate their Consumer Confidence Reports, Public Notices, and Public Education notices into Spanish since they have at least 25% Spanish-speaking people.

Translation Statement Only

The cities and towns listed in the following chart must provide the statement below in their CCR, PN, and PE translated into the languages identified for each applicable community:

"This report contains important information about your drinking water.  Have someone translate it for you or speak with someone who understands it."

To download the translation, right-click on the translation and select "save target as" or "save link as".

City/Town	Languages required for statement on the importance of CCR/PN/PE
Barnstable	Portuguese
Boston	Arabic, Chinese, French, Italian, Portuguese, Russian, Spanish, Vietnamese
Brockton	French, Portuguese, Spanish
Brookline	Chinese, Russian
Cambridge	Chinese, French, Spanish
Chicopee	Polish, Spanish
Dartmouth	Portuguese
Everett	French, Portuguese, Spanish
Fall River	Portuguese, Spanish
Fitchburg	Spanish
Framingham	Portuguese, Spanish
Haverhill	Spanish
Holyoke	Spanish
Hudson	Portuguese
Leominster	Spanish
Lowell	Mon-Khmer, Portuguese, Spanish, Vietnamese
Ludlow	Portuguese
Lynn	Mon-Khmer, Russian, Spanish
Malden	Chinese, French, Portuguese, Spanish
Marlborough	Portuguese, Spanish
Medford	Portuguese
Methuen	Spanish
Milford	Portuguese
New Bedford	Portuguese, Spanish
Newton	Chinese, Russian
Peabody	Portuguese
Quincy	Chinese, Vietnamese
Randolph	French
Revere	Arabic, Portuguese, Spanish
Salem	Spanish
Somerville	Portuguese, Spanish
Southbridge	Spanish
Springfield	Spanish, Vietnamese
Stoughton	Portuguese
Taunton	Portuguese
Waltham	Spanish
West Springfield	Russian
Worcester	Chinese, Portuguese, Spanish, Vietnamese

 

Note, these demographics are from the 2010 U.S. Census.  After the 2020 U.S. Census is tabulated and disseminated this table will be updated with that information.

Note, translations are used with permission from the Washington State Department of Health.  MassDEP makes no claim on the validity or correctness of these translations.  More translations are available at: https://www.doh.wa.gov/CommunityandEnvironment/DrinkingWater/DrinkingWaterEmergencies/PublicNotification/TranslationsforPublicNotification