Guide · recordkeeping
Electronic vs paper logbooks
Short answer
Often, yes, but it's your state's call. Federal rules care about what a record contains, not what it's written on. Texas lets operating records be stored electronically, and Ohio allows computer logs that automatically stamp the date, time and person for each entry and prevent erasure. Ask your state program before you retire the paper log.
What the rules actually say
- Federal: sample records may be kept as the lab's reports or moved into tabular summaries, as long as the required details are kept (40 CFR 141.33). There is no federal requirement for a bound paper book.
- Texas: operating records must be organized, and copies kept on file or stored electronically, and available during inspections (30 TAC §290.46(f)).
- Ohio: records must guarantee authenticity and accuracy. That means hard-bound books with consecutive page numbers, well-organized computer logs that automatically document the date, time and person making each entry and prevent erasure or deletion, or an equivalent method the director approves (Ohio Adm. Code 3745-7-09).
Ohio's rule is a good benchmark even where your state is silent, because it names what makes any log trustworthy.
A checklist to take to your regulator
| Question | Why it matters |
|---|---|
| Does each entry record when it was made, separately from when the reading was taken? | Shows late entries honestly |
| Does each entry show who made it? | Replaces initials in the paper log |
| Are changes tracked, with the original value kept? | The electronic version of the single-line strike-through |
| Can a deletion be undone or traced? | Records shouldn't be able to vanish |
| Can you print or export it for an inspector on the spot? | Most inspections still end with paper or a PDF |
| Is there a backup off the device? | Retention runs for years; phones don't |
How Water System Logbook answers those questions
Plainly, including the limits:
- Entry time: each round stores when the readings were taken and, separately, when it was submitted. The submission time can't be edited.
- Who: each round is signed with the operator's name and initials, picked from your operator list. The app has no user accounts or passwords, so it records the operator selected, not a login.
- Changes: corrections keep the old value, the new value, the time and an optional reason, and the round is marked Edited everywhere it appears.
- Deletions: a deleted round leaves history and reports, but a full copy and the time of deletion stay in the audit trail and in backups.
- Printing: PDF reports and CSV exports for any date range.
- Backups: one-step backup files you keep in Files, iCloud Drive or on a computer. Records are otherwise stored only on the iPhone.
- The device clock: times come from the iPhone's clock, which the phone's owner controls, like a wristwatch next to a paper log.
Whether that meets your state's standard is for your state to say. Show them this list. Until they confirm, keep whatever official record they require, and use the app alongside it.
Paper still has its place
A clipboard in the well house works when a phone battery doesn't, and some states or systems simply prefer it. The daily log sheet and chlorine residual log sheet are free to print. Keep them to the same standard: ink, initials, and corrections that leave the original readable.
Questions
Does an electronic log replace my state's reporting form?
No. A daily log is your working record. Monthly or quarterly reports still go to the state in the format it asks for. A good electronic log makes filling them in faster by giving you the numbers in one place.
What if the phone is lost?
That's the real risk with any device, so keep regular backups off the phone, in iCloud Drive, a computer or another device. The same goes for paper: a single binder in a well house is one leak away from gone.
Can I keep both?
Yes, and some operators do during a changeover, or keep paper at the well house and enter it later. If you do, mark late entries as late and decide which is the official record, so the two never disagree without explanation.
Sources
- 40 CFR 141.33 — Record maintenance
- 30 TAC §290.46 — Texas minimum acceptable operating practices (records, operators)
- Ohio Adm. Code 3745-7-09 — Recordkeeping requirements (hard-bound books or computer logs)
Last reviewed September 28, 2026. Rules change and states add their own; confirm with your state drinking water program.