THE DALLES, CITY OF vs PORTLAND WATER BUREAU
Water quality comparison — risk levels, violations, PFAS records, and contaminants
Quick Answer
PORTLAND WATER BUREAU has a lower risk classification (safe). THE DALLES, CITY OF has 0 open health-based violations and 290 PFAS records. PORTLAND WATER BUREAU has 1 open health-based violation and 174 PFAS records.
Oregon · OR4100869
Low Concern
Minor detections below regulatory limits. Routine monitoring adequate.
0
Open violations
290
PFAS records
Oregon · OR4100657
No Concerns Detected
Water meets all safety standards with no detected exceedances.
1
Open violations
174
PFAS records
Head-to-Head Comparison
| Metric | THE DALLES, CITY OF | PORTLAND WATER BUREAU |
|---|---|---|
| State | Oregon | Oregon |
| Risk Level | Low Concern | No Concerns Detected |
| Population Served | 13,010 | 666,200 |
| Open Health Violations | 0 | 1 |
| Total Violations | 21 | 2 |
| PFAS Records | 290 | 174 |
| Ownership | Local | Local |
| Service Type | Surface water | Surface water |
| City Served | — | — |
Contaminants in Violation Records
THE DALLES, CITY OF
- Arsenic
- Haloacetic Acids (HAA5)
- Total Trihalomethanes (TTHMs)
- Cadmium
- Barium
- Lead
PORTLAND WATER BUREAU
- Coliform (TCR)
Key Differences
THE DALLES, CITY OF has a low risk rating vs. safe for PORTLAND WATER BUREAU.
THE DALLES, CITY OF has 0 open health-based violations vs. 1 for PORTLAND WATER BUREAU.
THE DALLES, CITY OF has 290 PFAS records vs. 174 for PORTLAND WATER BUREAU.
What Should I Do?
If either utility shows open violations or elevated PFAS records, consider:
- Installing a reverse osmosis filter — removes PFAS, lead, arsenic, nitrates, and most heavy metals.
- Requesting your utility’s annual Consumer Confidence Report (CCR) for the most current test results.
- Ordering a certified lab water test if you want contaminant-specific data for your address.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which is safer — THE DALLES, CITY OF or PORTLAND WATER BUREAU?
PORTLAND WATER BUREAU has a lower risk classification (safe). PORTLAND WATER BUREAU has 1 open health-based violation compared to 0 for the other system.
What does "open health-based violation" mean?
An open health-based violation means a water system has exceeded an EPA Maximum Contaminant Level (MCL) or failed to meet a treatment technique — and the violation has not yet been resolved. These are the most serious type of water quality violations.
How current is this data?
Violation data comes from EPA's Safe Drinking Water Information System (SDWIS), which is updated as utilities report. PFAS data comes from EPA's UCMR 5 monitoring (2023–2025). Risk levels are recalculated daily.
What does PWSID mean?
PWSID stands for Public Water System ID — a unique federal identifier assigned to each community water system. You can use it to look up a system in EPA's ECHO database.