Drinking water quality · 2024
· Verified
What's in Portland, OR tap water
16 contaminants were measured in the Portland, OR water system's 2024 annual report. Each is shown below against its federal limit.
- Reporting year
- 2024
- Contaminants measured
- 16
- Over federal limit
- 0
- Approaching the limit
- 0
- Service area
- OR
Where your water comes from · EPA SDWIS
Portland, OR's drinking water comes from ground water, drawn from 28 sources.
Source
- SGA · 14
- TSA · 6
- BLA · 4
- BULL RUN RIVER
- + 3 more
Treatment
- TP FOR BULL RUN
- TP FOR GROUND WATER PUMP STATION
Distribution
Historical readings · EPA Six-Year Review (2012–2019)
1 contaminant historically over EPA limits in Portland, OR
Every U.S. public water system reports compliance-monitoring data to EPA. The Six-Year Review releases the 2012–2019 window as a single dataset — here's what your system reported, year by year. Values shown are the highest detection per analyte per year, compared to the federal MCL.
| Contaminant | Worst detection | EPA limit | Years (2012–2019) |
|---|---|---|---|
HAA5 worst: 2015 | 0.0767 mg/L 1.3× | 0.06 mg/L | '12'13'14'15'16'17'18'19 |
TTHM worst: 2017 | 0.056 mg/L within | 0.08 mg/L | '12'13'14'15'16'17'18'19 |
ARSENIC worst: 2014 | 0.00146 mg/L within below national p90 | 0.01 mg/L | '14'15'16'17'19 |
FLUORIDE worst: 2016 | 0.18 mg/L within | 4 mg/L | '14'15'16'17'18'19 |
NITRATE worst: 2018 | 0.45 mg/L within | 10 mg/L | '12'13'14'15'16'17'18'19 |
NITRATE NITRITE worst: 2018 | 0.45 mg/L within | 10 mg/L | '12'13'14'15'16'17'18'19 |
BARIUM worst: 2019 | 0.0135 mg/L within below national p90 | 2 mg/L | '12'14'15'16'17'18'19 |
COPPER worst: 2012 | 0.68 mg/L near national p90 | — | '12'13'14'15'16'17'18'19 |
LEAD worst: 2012 | 0.052 mg/L | — | '12'13'14'15'16'17'18'19 |
Physical & aggregate
| Contaminant | Measured | Federal limit | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| TurbidityA measure of cloudiness from suspended particles in the water. | 0.22–1.65 NTUReported levelSystem-wide | 5 NTUMCL | Within the limit |
Disinfectants
| Contaminant | Measured | Federal limit | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| ChlorineA disinfectant added to drinking water to kill bacteria and viruses. | 0.38–2.53 mg/LReported levelSystem-wide | None set | Detected — no federal limit |
Metals
Microbial
| Contaminant | Measured | Federal limit | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| Escherichia coli (E. coli)Escherichia coli — bacteria found in the gut of humans and animals. | 0–26Reported levelSystem-wide | None set | Detected — no federal limit |
| Giardia lamblia | 0–0.04Reported levelSystem-wide | None set | Detected — no federal limit |
| Total ColiformA group of bacteria used as an indicator of overall water-system sanitation. | 0.6 %Reported levelSystem-wide | None set | Detected — no federal limit |
Radionuclides
| Contaminant | Measured | Federal limit | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| RadonA naturally occurring radioactive gas that can dissolve into groundwater. | 152.2 pCi/LAverageSystem-wide | None set | Detected — no federal limit |
People also ask about Portland, OR's water
+Is Portland, OR tap water safe to drink in 2024?
Every one of the 16 contaminants measured in Portland, OR's 2024 Consumer Confidence Report is below its federal limit. "Safe" under the EPA's drinking-water standards is health-based, not aesthetic — but by those standards, no measured contaminant in this report exceeds its enforceable threshold. Individual health concerns (e.g. immunocompromised, infant, pregnancy) may warrant additional filtering regardless of compliance.
+What contaminants are in Portland, OR tap water?
16 contaminants were measured in Portland, OR's 2024 Consumer Confidence Report, spanning metals, microbial, and disinfection byproducts. 7 have an enforceable federal limit; the rest are detected but unregulated. Every measured value, in the utility's own units, is on this page.
+Where does the data on this page come from?
Every value is transcribed from Portland, OR's 2024 Consumer Confidence Report — the annual drinking-water report every U.S. public water utility is required by federal law to publish. The original source document is archived and viewable on this site. A water-quality report covers an entire service area, not a single address.
+How often is Portland, OR's water quality data updated?
Each U.S. public water utility publishes one Consumer Confidence Report per year, covering the prior calendar year's measurements. This page reflects the 2024 report; a new report will replace it once the utility publishes its next annual update.