Is Gresham, OR tap water safe?
Data: U.S. EPA · How we read the data · How we check it
Summary
Portland Water Bureau has 1 unresolved health-based violation on record.
Is it an emergency? No: these findings are about longer-term exposure, and nothing in EPA's data calls for you to stop drinking the water today. If your utility issues a boil-water or do-not-drink notice, follow it.
3 public water systems serve parts of Gresham. The largest, Portland Water Bureau, serves 666,200 people. Your water bill names your system.
Largest system
Portland Water Bureau
666,200 people · Surface water · EPA ID OR4100657
| PFAS | Highest average | Limit |
|---|---|---|
| PFOA Not detected | – | 4 ppt |
| PFOS Not detected | – | 4 ppt |
| PFHxS Not detected | – | 10 ppt |
| PFNA Not detected | – | 10 ppt |
| HFPO-DA (GenX) Not detected | – | 10 ppt |
ppt = parts per trillion. "Highest average" is the highest average at any of the system's entry points, the way EPA compares results with the limits.
Lead: 5.01 ppb at the 90th percentile (Nov 2026, and 9 in 10 homes sampled were at or below it) Below action level
Health-based violations since 2016: 1
Across Oregon, 9 of 123 water systems EPA tested had PFAS above a 2024 federal limit, and 16 systems were above the lead action level in results from the last five years. Oregon results.
Gresham homes and lead pipes
Lead service lines and lead solder were allowed until 1986, so homes from before then are the ones to check. Portland Water Bureau's service line inventory lists 0 lead lines and 0 galvanized lines that need replacing (as of 2024-09-20). Look up your address. Renting? Ask your landlord what the service line is made of, because it's their pipe to replace. How to check your own line.
Housing: Census American Community Survey 2020–2024 5-year estimates for Gresham city (tables B25034, B25003). Estimates for small places have a margin of error.
Other water systems serving Gresham
- City of Gresham73,932 people · Purchased surface water · Oregon · lists this cityNo PFAS above limits
- Rockwood Public Utility District65,443 people · Purchased surface water · Oregon · reported ZIPs hereNo PFAS above limits
How nearby cities compare
| City | PFAS | Lead (90th pct.) |
|---|---|---|
| Happy Valley 6 mi Portland Water Bureau | None above limits | 5.01 ppb |
| Portland 10 mi Portland Water Bureau | None above limits | 5.01 ppb |
| Oregon City 13 mi Oregon City Water System | None above limits | 1.84 ppb |
| West Linn 13 mi City of West Linn | None above limits | 1.84 ppb |
| Lake Oswego 14 mi Portland Water Bureau | None above limits | 5.01 ppb |
| Tigard 17 mi Portland Water Bureau | None above limits | 5.01 ppb |
Gresham ZIP codes (4)
- 97030
- 97080
- 97230
- 97233
Questions
Is Gresham tap water safe to drink?
Portland Water Bureau had 1 health-based violation since 2016. Utility data can't show lead from your own pipes: if your home was built before 1986, test your tap. Your utility's annual Consumer Confidence Report is the official summary.
Who supplies water in Gresham, OR?
3 public water systems serve parts of Gresham. The largest is Portland Water Bureau (666,200 people). Your water bill names your system. The EPA ID is also on your utility's Consumer Confidence Report.
Does Gresham tap water have PFAS?
None detected above EPA's reporting limits. Portland Water Bureau had no PFAS detected in EPA's 2023–2025 testing. "Not detected" means below the reporting limit (about 2 to 20 ppt), not proven zero.
Do Gresham homes have lead pipes?
Census estimates put 48% of Gresham homes as built before 1980 (Oregon: 49%). Lead service lines and lead solder were allowed until 1986, so older homes are more likely to have them. Portland Water Bureau's service line inventory lists 0 lead lines. The only way to know for your home is to check the line where it enters the house and test your tap.
Source: U.S. EPA drinking water records and PFAS testing (UCMR 5). How we read the data.