Drinking Water Rules

Rules and Rulemakings

On this page:

Current Rulemaking
Oregon Revised Statute (ORS) Drinking Water Quality Act of 1981
Current Oregon Administrative Rules (OARs) for Drinking Water

Current Rulemaking

There are no rulemakings at this time.

Previous Rulemaking

The Oregon Health Authority, Public Health Division (OHA), Drinking Water Services adopted permanent amendments (changes) to Oregon Administrative Rules in chapter 333, division 061 on January 1, 2026. OHA invited public comment about the proposed amendments and later responded in December 2025, regarding comments received.

The amendments incorporated revisions to the federal consumer confidence rule, focused significant deficiencies in OAR 333-061-0076 toward direct pathways for contamination to enter drinking water and clarified or improved miscellaneous other rule text so that public drinking water requirements align with federal regulations or are easier to implement.

The documents below were provided to provide information about the rulemaking process:

Notice of Proposed Rulemaking including Statement of Need and Fiscal Impact

The public comment period for the proposed rulemaking ended on November 30, 2025.

For a summary of each rule amendment or specific information regarding the changes, please refer to the following information:

Amend OAR 333-061-0032: The Treatment Requirements and Performance Standards for Surface Water, Groundwater Under the Direct Influence of Surface Water, and Groundwater rule will be amended to include rule text previously cited as a sanitary survey significant deficiency.

Amend OAR 333-061-0036: The Sampling and Analytical Requirements rule will be amended to include rule text previously cited as a sanitary survey significant deficiency, clarify a requirement that initial distribution system evaluation plans must be approved prior to the evaluation and change the criteria needed to return coliform monitoring to a routine quarterly frequency at non-community water systems.

Amend OAR 333-061-0040: The Reporting and Record Keeping rule will be amended to include reporting and recordkeeping requirements previously included in OAR 333-061-0043.

Amend OAR 333-061-0043: The Consumer Confidence Reports rule will be amended to include federal rule revisions.

Amend OAR 333-061-0061: The Capacity Requirements for Public Water Systems rule will be amended to remove the requirement for capacity assessment at new transient non-community water systems.

Amend OAR 333-061-0076: The Sanitary Surveys rule will be amended to focus the significant deficiencies that can be cited during a sanitary survey toward only direct pathways for contamination to enter a water system.

Amend OAR 333-061-0220: The Classification of Water Treatment Plants and Water Distribution Systems rule will be amended to process a housekeeping correction in Table 51.

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Oregon Revised Statute (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 Drinking Water

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 1, 2025.

A complete set of the drinking water rules is in Chapter 333, Division 061.

Quick links to specific rules are provided below:

333-061-0005; 0010; 0015 Purpose; Scope; and Adoption by Reference
333-061-0020 Definitions
333-061-0025 Responsibilities of Water Suppliers
333-061-0030; 0031 Maximum Contaminant Levels and Action Levels; and Maximum Residual Disinfectant Levels
333-061-0032 Treatment Requirements and Performance Standards for Surface Water, Groundwater Under Direct Influence of Surface Water, and Groundwater
333-061-0034 Treatment Requirements and Performance Standards for Corrosion Control
333-061-0036 Sampling and Analytical Requirements
333-061-0040 Reporting and Record Keeping
333-061-0042 Public Notice
333-061-0043 Consumer Confidence Reports
333-061-0045; 0046 Variances and Permits
333-061-0050; 0055 Construction Standards and Waivers from Construction Standards
333-061-0057 Voluntary Drinking Water Protection Program
333-061-0060 Plan Submission and Review Requirements
333-061-0061; 0062 Capacity Requirements for Public Water Systems & Land Use Coordination
333-061-0063 Environmental Review Process for the Safe Drinking Water Revolving Loan Fund Program
333-061-0064 Emergency Response Plan Requirements
333-061-0065 Operation and Maintenance
333-061-0070; 0071 Cross Connection Control Requirements; and Backflow Assembly Installation Standards
333-061-0072 Backflow Assembly Tester Certification
333-061-0073 Cross Connection Specialist Certification
333-061-0074 Cross Connection Training and Instructor Requirements
333-061-0075; 0076; 0077 Sanitary Surveys of Watersheds; Sanitary Surveys of Public Water Systems; and Composite Correction Program Comprehensive Performance Evaluations
333-061-0078 Coliform Investigations
333-061-0080 Role of Counties
333-061-0085; 0087 Supplemental Fluoridation; Product Acceptability Criteria
333-061-0089 Annual Fee for Public Water Systems
333-061-0090; 0095 Penalties and Severability

333-061-0098 References
333-061-0100 Requirements for Oregon Very Small Water Systems
333-061-0210 Operator Certification Program Scope
333-061-0220 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 Certification Requirements Levels 1-4
333-061-0245; 0250 Applications for Operator Certification Levels 1-4; and Examinations Levels 1-4
333-061-0260 Operator Certification Renewals Levels 1-4
333-061-0265 Operator Certification Fees
333-061-0270; 0272 Refusal, Suspension, or Revocation of Certification; Suspension of Certification; and Penalties
333-061-0305 through 0335 Domestic Well Testing Real Estate Transaction Purpose; Scope; Area of Public Health Concern; Domestic Well Tests; Accredited Laboratories; and Sample Collection
333-061-0400 Reducing Lead in School Drinking Water
333-061-0510 through 0580 Cyanotoxin Monitoring and Public Notification at Public Drinking Water Systems

The rules document provided by DWS is formatted for accessibility and ease of use and is not a legal or official version of the rules filed with and published by the Oregon Secretary of State as of February 1, 2023. View the official version of the rules here.