Does our water contain lead?

• February 16, 2024 |

Our two water supplies—Big Butte Springs and the Rogue River—contain virtually no lead or copper. However, lead and copper can be released into the water from materials in private home plumbing and in the water system. In addition to the frequent water sampling we do at our source points and throughout our system, supplemental testing is conducted at the individual taps of customers whose private plumbing meets criteria for being at risk for elevated lead and copper levels.

The Environmental Protection Agency’s Lead and Copper Rule requires a water provider to take certain actions to reduce lead exposure if 10 percent of water samples return lead levels of over 15 parts per billion (ppb). In 2022, the 90th percentile value of our water was 1.1 ppb. Find out more on our Lead page.