Is Pendleton, OR Tap Water Safe? Quality & Contaminants

What was found in Pendleton's water

The level at the city's main supplier, the highest level anywhere in the city, the EPA limit for each, and where every figure comes from.

Contaminant	Level vs EPA limit	Suppliers	Source
Nitrate	4870 µg/L 49% of the EPA limit 10000 µg/L Main supplier: PENDLETON, CITY OF · 16,996 people · 2019 Highest in the city: 6000 µg/L — RIETH WATER DISTRICT · 150 people · 2019	7/8	SYR4
Nitrate-Nitrite	226 µg/L 2.3% of the EPA limit 10000 µg/L Main supplier: PENDLETON, CITY OF · 16,996 people · 2013 Highest in the city: 3020 µg/L — DESIRE FOR HEALING, INC · 33 people · 2018	6/8	SYR4
Fluoride	151 µg/L 3.8% of the EPA limit 4000 µg/L Main supplier: PENDLETON, CITY OF · 16,996 people · 2013 Highest in the city: 534 µg/L — HALLS TRAILER COURT · 60 people · 2013	8/8	SYR4
Copper	172 µg/L 13% of the EPA limit 1300 µg/L Main supplier: PENDLETON, CITY OF · 16,996 people · 2017	6/8	SYR4
Nitrite	86.7 µg/L 8.7% of the EPA limit 1000 µg/L Highest in the city: STEWARTS ADDITION · 50 people · 2019	1/8	SYR4
Barium	60 µg/L 3% of the EPA limit 2000 µg/L Main supplier: PENDLETON, CITY OF · 16,996 people · 2013	5/8	SYR4
TTHM	42.89 µg/L 54% of the EPA limit 80 µg/L Main supplier: PENDLETON, CITY OF · 16,996 people · 2019	2/8	SYR4
Lead	11.23 µg/L 75% of the EPA limit 15 µg/L Main supplier: PENDLETON, CITY OF · 16,996 people · 2017 Highest in the city: 36.4 µg/L — DESIRE FOR HEALING, INC · 33 people · 2019	5/8	SYR4
Total Haloacetic Acids (HAA5)	34.72 µg/L 58% of the EPA limit 60 µg/L Main supplier: PENDLETON, CITY OF · 16,996 people · 2019	1/8	SYR4
Gross Beta Particle Activity	7.474 pCi/L No EPA limit set Main supplier: PENDLETON, CITY OF · 16,996 people · 2017	1/8	SYR4
Gross Alpha, Excl. Radon And U	6.38 pCi/L 43% of the EPA limit 15 pCi/L Main supplier: PENDLETON, CITY OF · 16,996 people · 2017	4/8	SYR4
Selenium	4.08 µg/L 8.2% of the EPA limit 50 µg/L Highest in the city: DESIRE FOR HEALING, INC · 33 people · 2018	3/8	SYR4
Arsenic	1.5 µg/L 15% of the EPA limit 10 µg/L Main supplier: PENDLETON, CITY OF · 16,996 people · 2016 Highest in the city: 2.5 µg/L — HALLS TRAILER COURT · 60 people · 2013	6/8	SYR4
Combined Radium (-226 And -228)	2.41 pCi/L 48% of the EPA limit 5 pCi/L Highest in the city: RIETH WATER DISTRICT · 150 people · 2015	2/8	SYR4
Chromium	1.5 µg/L 1.5% of the EPA limit 100 µg/L Main supplier: PENDLETON, CITY OF · 16,996 people · 2013 Highest in the city: 2.16 µg/L — MCKAY ACRES IMPROVEMENT DIST · 75 people · 2013	5/8	SYR4
Combined Uranium	2 µg/L 6.7% of the EPA limit 30 µg/L Main supplier: PENDLETON, CITY OF · 16,996 people · 2017 Highest in the city: 2.0475 µg/L — DESIRE FOR HEALING, INC · 33 people · 2018	5/8	SYR4
PFHXS	0.0048 µg/L No EPA limit set Main supplier: PENDLETON, CITY OF · 16,996 people · 2025	1/8	UCMR-5
Lead	0.0025 mg/L 17% of the EPA limit 0.0150 mg/L Main supplier: PENDLETON, CITY OF · 16,996 people · 2025 Highest in the city: 0.0040 mg/L — HALLS TRAILER COURT · 60 people · 2024	8/8	LCR

Each bar shows the measured level as a share of the EPA limit: green is well under, amber is close to it, red is over. For lead and copper the limit applies to exactly the 90th-percentile figure shown, so red there means a real exceedance. For everything else the limit applies to a running annual average while the figure is the 95th percentile of the system's samples — over 100% is worth reading, but is not by itself a violation. Formal violations are listed separately. These are the utilities' own EPA-reported results, not a city-wide average. A detection means the lab measured the substance — it isn't the same as exceeding a legal limit. Hover a source tag to see the EPA program and years behind each figure.

Water suppliers serving Pendleton

Supplier	Population served
PENDLETON, CITY OF	16,996
RIETH WATER DISTRICT	150
HERITAGE IMPROVEMENT DISTRICT	125
MCKAY ACRES IMPROVEMENT DIST	75
GREEN MEADOWS WTR CORPORATION	75
HALLS TRAILER COURT	60
STEWARTS ADDITION	50
DESIRE FOR HEALING, INC	33

Frequently asked questions about Pendleton tap water

Is Pendleton tap water safe to drink?

EPA testing detected 18 contaminants in the water serving Pendleton. A detection isn't the same as a violation — most detected levels are within federal limits. Check the level and source for each contaminant above, and your utility's annual Consumer Confidence Report for the official compliance status.

How many water suppliers serve Pendleton?

8 public water suppliers report drinking-water monitoring for Pendleton, Oregon to the EPA. Each is listed above with its population served.

What contaminants are in Pendleton's water?

The contaminants EPA monitoring detected in Pendleton include Nitrate, Nitrate-Nitrite, Fluoride, Copper, Nitrite. The full list, with the level at the main supplier and the data source, is in the table above.

Where does this data come from?

Every figure is official EPA drinking-water monitoring — the Lead & Copper Rule, the UCMR-5 nationwide testing program, and the EPA Six-Year Review — not our own testing. Each number is labelled with its source and period.