SOURCE WATER ASSESSMENT concern and their points of origin within the SUMMARY BROCHURE drinking water protection area. Because of the Bull Run watershed’s long history of protection CITY OF PORTLAND afforded by stringent legislative and administrative land-use controls, the only PWS # 4100657 contaminants of concern for the Bull Run water supply are naturally occurring microbial WHAT IS A SOURCE WATER ASSESSMENT? contaminants such as Giardia lamblia, A Source Water Assessment for the Bull Run Cryptosporidium, fecal coliform bacteria and water supply was recently completed by the total coliform bacteria. These organisms are Portland Water Bureau. The assessment found in virtually all freshwater ecosystems and identified the geographic area that supplies water are present in the Bull Run supply at very low to the City of Portland’s Bull Run water system levels. Sources of Giardia cysts and fecal intake and inventoried the potential contaminant coliform bacteria in the watershed are limited to sources that may impact the water supply. warm-blooded wildlife species such as deer, elk, WHY WAS IT COMPLETED? cougar, bobcat, black bear, beaver, and muscrat. The Source Water Assessment was completed to Sources of Cryptosporidium oocysts include provide information to the Portland Water most mammalian wildlife species as well as Bureau’s retail and wholesale customers about some bird species. the location of the Bull Run source area and the WHAT ARE THE RISKS FOR OUR SYSTEM? location and nature of any potential contaminants For purposes of the Source Water Assessment, of concern. The assessment was prepared under the Portland Water Bureau elected to designate the requirements and guidelines of the Federal the entire 102-square mile drainage upstream of Safe Drinking Water Act (SDWA). the intake as a sensitive area. There are no WHAT AREAS ARE INCLUDED IN THE management-related sources of any regulated DRINKING WATER PROTECTION AREA FOR and unregulated contaminants in the Bull Run THE BULL RUN WATER SUPPLY? watershed. As noted earlier, the only The primary water supply for the City of contaminants of concern are naturally occurring Portland and its wholesale customers is the Bull sources of microbials. The Bull Run supply Run watershed. This public water system serves consistently complies with all applicable state a population of about 831,000 citizens. The Bull and federal regulations for source water under Run supply is an unfiltered, highly protected the SDWA, including the 1989 Surface Water source located within the 143-square mile Bull Treatment Rule filtration-avoidance criteria. No Run Management Unit of the Mt. Hood National further changes to the legislative-based Forest in east Multnomah and Clackamas protections for the Bull Run watershed are counties, Oregon. The Management Unit is necessary at this time. Protections provided by closed to public entry and has a general existing legislation, administrative plans, and prohibition on timber harvest through special Forest Service and City policies collectively federal legislation passed in 1996 and 2001. The comprise a program that far exceeds the state’s intake for the system is located on the lower Bull recommendations for a voluntary-based Drinking Run River, which drains to the Sandy River and Water Protection Plan. is part of the Lower Columbia River basin. The geographic area providing water to the Bull Run NEED MORE INFORMATION? system intake extends upstream approximately The City of Portland’s Source Water Assessment 17 miles in an easterly direction and Report for the Bull Run water system provides encompasses an area of 102 square miles. The additional details on the methodology and results boundaries of the Drinking Water Protection of this assessment. The full report is available for Area are illustrated in the figure attached to this review at: summary. http://www.water.ci.portland.or.us/pdf/swap2003 WHAT ARE THE POTENTIAL SOURCES OF .pdf. CONTAMINATION TO THE BULL RUN ______WATER SUPPLY? Please contact the Portland Water Bureau at The 1996 amendments to the Safe Drinking (503) 823-7404 if you would like additional Water Act require that Source Water information on the Source Water Assessment Assessments identify any contaminants of results. Figure 1. Drinking Water Protection Area for the Bull Run Water Supply.