The Record · Statement
BWP Is Mailing Paper Water Reports to Every Home in Burbank. You’re Paying for It.
Federal law already allows digital delivery. So why is the city still printing and mailing thousands of reports every year?
The Problem
Every year, Burbank Water and Power sends a full printed Water Quality Report to every address in the city — whether you want it or not. You pay for the printing. You pay for the postage. Most people we asked, recycle it without reading it.
The Law
Under federal regulations (40 C.F.R. § 141.155) and California Health & Safety Code (§ 116470(a)), BWP can legally satisfy its annual reporting requirement by:
- Emailing residents a direct link to the report
- Posting it on the BWP website
- Mailing a short notice — not the full report — only to households it can’t reach digitally
- Making paper copies available on request
What BWP Said
When a Burbank resident raised this issue in late 2025, BWP’s Marketing Manager and the City Attorney’s office responded in June 2026. Their position: the law is ambiguous, and for now, Every Door Direct Mail is how they’re doing it. The City Attorney’s internal legal memo? Privileged — you can’t see it. But they acknowledged the law was written before the internet existed, and that a fix in Sacramento would help.
Bottom Line
“Defensible” is not the same as “required.” The law is ambiguous — and BWP chose the most expensive interpretation. Residents can change that.
Tell BWP to Go Digital
Email Armand Canyon, BWP’s Marketing Manager. One click pre-fills the whole message — just add your name and send.
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