Oregon Revised Statue (ORS) Oregon Drinking Water Quality Act
Enacted in 1981, the statute (periodically amended) includes
Oregon Revised Statute (ORS) 448.119 to 448.285;
454.235; and 454.255. The purpose of the above act is (in part) to:
- Ensure that all Oregonians have safe drinking water;
- Provide a simple and effective regulatory program for drinking water systems; and
- Provide a means to improve inadequate drinking water systems.
Current Oregon Administrative Rules (OARs) for Public Water Systems
ORS 448.131 authorizes Drinking Water Services (DWS) to adopt administrative rules to ensure safe drinking water. OAR Chapter 333 Division 061 is reserved for regulations regarding public water systems and was last amended on January 10, 2018.
A complete set of rules in
Chapter 333, Division 061.
Specific portions of the rules are also available as PDF files below, ordered by section number (some of the files include more than one section of the rules):
OARs for Water System Operator Certification
The purpose of operator certification is to protect public health and public water systems in Oregon. DWS accomplishes this by reviewing the experience, education and credentials of persons responsible for the production, treatment and distribution of public drinking water and determining their compliance with an established standard of proficiency. The rules include application guidelines, general operator criteria and grade requirements; operator system classifications and fees are also covered. They are provided below as PDF files; some of the files include more than one section of the rules, in which case the content is ordered by section number.
- 333-061-0210; 0220 Operator Certification Scope; and Classification of Water Treatment Plants and Water Distribution Systems
- 333-061-0225; 0228; 0230; 0232 General Requirements Applying to Water Systems; Certification Requirements for Small Water System; Contracting For Services Operators; and General Requirements Applying to Water System Operators
- 333-061-0235 Operator Requirements Levels 1-4
- 333-061-0245; 0250 Applications for Certification Levels 1-4; and Examinations Levels 1-4
- 333-061-0260 Certification Renewals Levels 1-4
- 333-061-0265 Certification Fees
- 333-061-0270; 0272 Refusal, Suspension, or Revocation of Certification; Suspension of Certification; and Penalties
- Visit the Operator Certification site for more information.
OARs for Domestic Well Testing for Real Estate Transactions
Amended in 2009,
ORS 448.271 requires property owners, when selling Oregon real estate that includes a domestic well, to test the water for arsenic, nitrate and total coliform bacteria. Domestic wells are those used for drinking and other household purposes. Test results must be reported within 90 days to the real estate buyer and DWS after the seller receives the test results. Rules are downloadable as PDFs below.
Get more information about domestic well testing for real estate transactions.