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Public water system record

Portland Water Bureau

Serves Portland, Dunthorpe and Maywood Park, Multnomah County, OR · 666,200 people served

Federal records show 1 health-based violation and 1 monitoring/reporting issue for Portland Water Bureau in the last ten years, including an unresolved Long Term 2 Enhanced Surface Water Treatment Rule violation.

  • OR4100657
  • PORTLAND
  • OR
  • 666,200 served

System profile

Source water Surface water
ZIP 97227
EPA system ID OR4100657

Verify this system on EPA ECHO →

Health-based violations, last 10 years
1
Resolved
0
Unresolved
1
Any acute record
No
Monitoring issues, last 10 years
1

Key facts

  • Portland Water Bureau draws water from 27 wells and 1 surface water intake (27 of them for emergency, seasonal or other part-time use).
  • Record on file since 1976, with 3 health-based violations before October 19, 2016.
  • Lead pipe inventory: 0 lead and 0 unknown out of 189,613 service lines.

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Health-based violations

Since October 2016

Violation data reflects EPA records through March 2026. For the most current status, visit the EPA ECHO database.

Contaminant Rule family Start date Status Acute
Long Term 2 Enhanced Surface Water Treatment Rule
Treatment technique failure
 120 Dec 18, 2017 Active No

Monitoring and reporting issues

Since October 2016

Missed tests or reports, not contaminants found above a limit.

Issue Start date Status
Revised Total Coliform Rule
Monitoring violation
 Jul 1, 2022 Resolved

Full record since 1976

EPA's records for Portland Water Bureau go back to 1976. Before October 19, 2016 they list 3 health-based violations (3 resolved) and 12 monitoring or reporting violations.

Violations that began in Health-based Monitoring and reporting
1970s 0 10
2000s 1 2
2010 to October 18, 2016 2 0
October 19, 2016 to 2019 1 0
2020s 0 1

Most recent health-based violation before October 19, 2016: Total Coliform, began September 2013, Resolved.

Show all 3 health-based violations before October 19, 2016
Contaminant Start date Status
Total Coliform
Contaminant limit exceeded
 Sep 1, 2013 Resolved
Total Coliform (acute)
Contaminant limit exceeded
 Jul 1, 2012 Resolved
Total Coliform (acute)
Contaminant limit exceeded
 Nov 1, 2009 Resolved

What the violations mean

Long Term 2 Enhanced Surface Water Treatment Rule

1 incident

The system failed required surface water treatment or filtration standards

Untreated or inadequately treated surface water can contain bacteria and viruses

Where the water comes from

Portland Water Bureau draws water from 27 wells and 1 surface water intake (27 of them for emergency, seasonal or other part-time use). 16 other community water systems buy water from Portland Water Bureau. 1 other public water system has an emergency connection to Portland Water Bureau.

Community systems that buy water from it

Annual water quality report

Portland Water Bureau must give its customers an annual water quality report (Consumer Confidence Report) by July 1, with the levels its tests found in the previous year.

Systems serving 10,000 or more people must mail or deliver the report to every customer, and from 2027 they must send it twice a year.

Find a posted report with EPA's Consumer Confidence Report search

Testing your own water

To test the water at your tap, or a private well this record does not cover, use a laboratory certified for drinking water by Oregon.

Certified drinking water labs by state EPA guidance for private wells