Lead and Drinking Water

Public health is our highest priority. Water served by the City of Lake Oswego is tested regularly to ensure every drop meets all federal and state safe drinking water standards, including those for lead.

Lake Oswego’s water system has no known lead pipes or connections.

The main source of lead in drinking water is typically from household plumbing or components associated with service lines on the back side of the meter.

Lake Oswego’s Service Line Inventory

In 2021, the Environmental Protection Authority (EPA) required all water providers all water providers around the country to determine the pipe material of all water service lines by October 2024. Service lines are the pipes that connect the large water main to a home or building. Service lines have two parts: the portion from the main to the meter or curb stop is public (responsibility of the City) and from the meter to the house is private (the responsibility of the property owner). Water service lines can be made of different materials, including plastic, galvanized steel, copper, or lead. The installation of water service lines containing lead was banned in Oregon in 1985.

The EPA requires the inventory of service lines includes identifying materials for every service line, both private and public, in the entire water system.

Since 2021, Lake Oswego has been undergoing an inventory of all service lines in our water service area to determine if they are lead, non-lead or an unknown material. In September 2024, the City submitted our service line inventory results to the Oregon Health Authority, certifying that no known lead service lines are present in our distribution system. This is based on statistical analysis on several thousand field-verified sample sites.

Free Test Kits Available

The City offers free lead testing to its water customers. If you are concerned about the levels of lead in your home, you can pick up a test kit and instructions at the main reception desk at City Hall, 2nd floor. This testing kit is for water only, not paint or other surfaces (test kits for lead paint are available at most hardware stores). For questions about lead testing or your drinking water, call the Water Treatment Plant at 503-635-0394.