May 8, 2014

Signed by President Ronald Reagan in 1981, Drinking Water Week is celebrated throughout the United States and Canada – and here in Portland! 

Drinking Water Week encourages public awareness and engagement about water.  It’s the perfect time to learn about where you get your water - and in Portland, it’s from the Bull Run Watershed.

Drinking water from the Bull Run first flowed to Portland in 1895. Today, the watershed provides nearly 1 million Oregonians with pristine, high-quality water.  Located in the Mt. Hood National Forest, the watershed holds about 19 billion gallons of water. Due to its relatively low elevation, rain – not snow melt – provides the majority of its water. 

The Portland Water Bureau lightly treats the water before it enters into the three conduits that transport it to Portland. The water moves through the system by gravity, requiring no fossil fuel consumption to move water from the watershed to the main storage reservoir at Powell Butte.

Thanks to the visionary Bull Run Watershed, and the hard work of the Water Bureau, Portland has some of the best drinking water in the nation!

Learn more about your water in our Discover Your Drinking Water brochure.