Drinking Water Protection Oregon

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Drinking Water Protection Oregon

• Office of Environmental Public Health
• Drinking Water Program

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Who Does What?

• Public Water Systems PROVIDE safe water
• Certified Labs ANALYZE , REPORT test results
• US EPA - SET minimum health standards
• State/County Public Health/State Agency Partners
  - ASSURE minimum health standards are met
• Consumers MAINTAIN house plumbing, flush taps
  as needed, report concerns, stay informed

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Oregons Public Water Systems by Type
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Oregons Public Water Systems by Size
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Oregons Sickening Six Contaminants

• Acute Diseases
• 1. Microbials - bacteria, viruses, parasites
  (gastrointestinal illnesses)
• Chronic Diseases
• 2. Lead (brain damage, learning disabilities)
• 3. Disinfection By-products (cancers)
• 4. Inorganic Chemicals (cancers, nervous
  system/organ damage)
• 5. Organic Chemicals (cancers, nervous system,
  organ damage)
• 6. Radioactive Contaminants (cancers)

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Where Do ContaminantsCome From?

• Source to tap

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How To Protect Drinking Water?

• Source to tap
• Assess, protect water supply sources
• Test treat water adequately
• Protect distribution system
• Assure competent operators managers
• Inform, involve water consumers

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Source Water Assessment Elements

• Identify the drinking water protection area (map)
• Identify potential sources of pollution within
  the area
• Determine the relative risk to the water supply
  from those pollution sources

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Statewide Drinking Water Protection Elements

• Measure and characterize protection activities
• State implementation strategy
• Partnerships, integration, leveraging
• Motivate local activity
• Manage and share information
• Use existing regulatory frameworks

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National Performance Measure

• Percent of source water areas for community
  water systems that achieved minimized risk to
  public health through substantial implementation
• By 2011, 50 of communities, and 62 of
  population (USEPA Strategic Plan)
• 2005 Oregon performance 8 of areas
• 2007 Oregon target 17 of areas

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Oregons Drinking Water Protection Effort

• Agency partnership DHS/DEQ
• Voluntary, collaborative approach
• Set priorities based on assessment results
• Distribute useful source water information to
  communities and interested parties
• Incentives?

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For More Information!

• 971-673-0405
• oregon.gov/dhs/ph/dwp