200 S. Ivy St. - RM 177
Medford, OR 97501
Phone: 541-774-2742
Fax: 541-826-5402
Contact: Dan Perkins, Water Operations Manager
Email: dan.perkins@medfor. . .
Hours: 8:00 AM - 5:00 PM
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Lead & Copper
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Water quality and the protection of public health are Medford Water’s top priorities. We take reducing lead exposure seriously, and are in compliance with all Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) testing regulations. Our latest round of lead and copper testing results can be found in our compliance-focused Consumer Confidence Report, or the very comprehensive Water Quality Analyses.
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 the water system and in private home plumbing. 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.
What is Medford Water doing to reduce lead and copper in our drinking water?
As part of our mission to safeguard public health and preserve our community’s high-quality water all the way to the tap, as well as improve the longevity of our system, we have taken a multi-pronged approach to reducing the likelihood of leading and copper leaching from private home plumbing and service lines.
This multi-pronged approach includes:
- Proactively finding and removing lead pipe “pigtails” installed in the early 1900s. - COMPLETED
- Performing a comprehensive, independent scientific study to identify water treatment enhancements that work with our water and system. - COMPLETED
- Working with third-party experts and the latest Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) guidance to identify a scientifically rigorous and credible option to increase the resiliency of our system and protect customers who have plumbing in their homes that are made of or have metal components (such as copper, lead, and iron). - COMPLETED
- Designing and constructing these new water treatment enhancements. These new facilities are part of our commitment to providing excellent water quality to our customers. Information on these planned water treatment enhancements is available here if you want to learn more! – ONGOING
Medford Water Prepared for 2024 Lead and Copper Rule Revisions
In 1991, the EPA published a regulation for the testing and allowable levels of lead and copper in drinking water, known as the Lead and Copper Rule. Under the rule, if 10 percent of water samples return lead levels of over 15 parts per billion (ppb), a water provider is required to take certain actions to reduce lead exposure. In 2022, the 90th percentile value of our water was 1.1 ppb, and no samples exceeded the action level.
The EPA has also released new guidance to support water systems with their efforts to prepare and maintain an inventory of service line materials as part of the rule. We’ll know more when these revisions are finalized in October 2024, but we are developing a plan to meet this proposed guidance.
Check out our Lead & Copper FAQs here.
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