JOSEPH, CITY OF
PWS ID: OR4100414 · JOSEPH, Oregon 97846
JOSEPH, CITY OF serves 1,182 people in JOSEPH, Oregon using Surface Water water sources. It has 99 recorded EPA violations, including 8 health-based violations. No PFAS contamination was detected in UCMR5 testing.
Water Quality Snapshot: JOSEPH, CITY OF
JOSEPH, CITY OF is a local-owned community water system that delivers drinking water to 1,182 residents in JOSEPH, Oregon (Wallowa County) through 750 service connections. Its water is drawn from surface water sources. EPA's Safe Drinking Water Information System records 99 total violations for this system , of which 8 (8%) are health-based — meaning a contaminant exceeded an EPA Maximum Contaminant Level or a required treatment technique failed. A further 83 monitoring and reporting violations are on file. The most recent violation on record dates to 2024.
The most frequently cited contaminant at this system is Surface Water Treatment Rule, recorded in 41 violations (MR). This system has not yet been sampled under EPA's UCMR5 PFAS monitoring program, so no PFAS detection data is available here.
Across Oregon, EPA tracks 2,518 public water systems serving 4,005,242 people, with 206,659 cumulative violations and 20,339 health-based violations on record. About 99% of systems in the state carry at least one violation, and state-wide the average per system is 82.1 violations. JOSEPH, CITY OF's 99 violations sit above the Oregon average. Statewide, 30 of 125 UCMR5-tested systems have reported PFAS detections (24%). All figures above are sourced directly from EPA SDWIS and UCMR5 public data releases and are updated as EPA publishes new reporting cycles.
System Details
- System Type
- Community
- Owner Type
- Local
- Connections
- 750
- County
- Wallowa
- School/Daycare
- No
- MCL Violations
- 0
- Monitoring Violations
- 83
- Treatment Tech Violations
- 8
Violation History
Contaminant violations recorded by EPA.
| Contaminant | Category | Count | Latest |
|---|---|---|---|
| Surface Water Treatment Rule | MR | 41 | 2024 |
| Interim Enhanced Surface Water Treatment Rule | MR | 16 | 2020 |
| Coliform (TCR) | MR | 9 | 2009 |
| Stage 1 Disinfectants and Disinfection Byproducts Rule | TT | 6 | 2019 |
| TTHM | MR | 5 | 2023 |
| Total Haloacetic Acids (HAA5) | MR | 5 | 2023 |
| Public Notice | Other | 3 | 2019 |
| Consumer Confidence Rule | Other | 2 | 2024 |
| Nitrate | MR | 2 | 2014 |
| Gross Alpha, Excl. Radon and U | MR | 2 | 2016 |
| Surface Water Treatment Rule | TT | 2 | 1992 |
| Combined Uranium | MR | 1 | 2016 |
| Revised Total Coliform Rule | MON | 1 | 2023 |
| Combined Radium (-226 and -228) | MR | 1 | 1976 |
Verify This Water System
The figures above are aggregated from EPA's public databases. To verify the underlying records — or to file a complaint, request a Consumer Confidence Report, or check current monitoring status — go directly to the federal and state regulators that enforce the Safe Drinking Water Act for JOSEPH, CITY OF.
EPA SDWIS — Federal Reports
EPA's Safe Drinking Water Information System (SDWIS) holds the federal compliance record for every regulated public water system. Open the system-level report by PWS ID:
View PWS ID OR4100414 on SDWISSource: EPA SDWIS Federal Reports Search
Oregon Drinking Water Authority
Oregon's primacy agency administers the Safe Drinking Water Act locally. Search EPA SDWIS for the current state contact, or use the state's public health or environment department portal.
Find OR regulator via EPA SDWISViolation Timeline
Each row links to the EPA SDWIS public record for verification. Cross-reference the contaminant code on EPA's federal report to see violation dates, return-to-compliance status, and enforcement actions.
| Year (latest) | Contaminant | Category | Count | EPA Record |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | Surface Water Treatment Rule | MR | 41 | SDWIS / OR4100414 / 0200 |
| 2024 | Consumer Confidence Rule | Other | 2 | SDWIS / OR4100414 / 7000 |
| 2023 | TTHM | MR | 5 | SDWIS / OR4100414 / 2950 |
| 2023 | Total Haloacetic Acids (HAA5) | MR | 5 | SDWIS / OR4100414 / 2456 |
| 2023 | Revised Total Coliform Rule | MON | 1 | SDWIS / OR4100414 / 8000 |
| 2020 | Interim Enhanced Surface Water Treatment Rule | MR | 16 | SDWIS / OR4100414 / 0300 |
| 2019 | Stage 1 Disinfectants and Disinfection Byproducts Rule | TT | 6 | SDWIS / OR4100414 / 0400 |
| 2019 | Public Notice | Other | 3 | SDWIS / OR4100414 / 7500 |
| 2016 | Gross Alpha, Excl. Radon and U | MR | 2 | SDWIS / OR4100414 / 4000 |
| 2016 | Combined Uranium | MR | 1 | SDWIS / OR4100414 / 4006 |
| 2014 | Nitrate | MR | 2 | SDWIS / OR4100414 / 1040 |
| 2009 | Coliform (TCR) | MR | 9 | SDWIS / OR4100414 / 3100 |
| 1992 | Surface Water Treatment Rule | TT | 2 | SDWIS / OR4100414 / 0200 |
| 1976 | Combined Radium (-226 and -228) | MR | 1 | SDWIS / OR4100414 / 4010 |
How JOSEPH, CITY OF Compares
Cross-reference this system's record against state averages and the federal MCL framework for context.
| Metric | JOSEPH, CITY OF | Oregon avg | Federal benchmark |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total violations | 99 | 82.1 | SDWA compliance — any non-zero count is a recorded breach |
| Health-based violations | 8 | 8.1 | Indicates a contaminant exceeded a federal MCL |
| PFAS detection | None | 24% | EPA final rule (2024): PFOA/PFOS MCL = 4.0 ppt |
| Population served | 1,182 | 1,591 | Sizing context for compliance burden |
Sources: EPA SDWIS and EPA National Primary Drinking Water Regulations (40 CFR Part 141). State averages computed across 2,518 regulated public water systems in Oregon.
Federal MCL reference — Safe Drinking Water Act thresholds ▼
| Contaminant | Federal MCL / Action Level | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Lead | 0 mg/L (Action Level: 0.015 mg/L) | Lead and Copper Rule treatment technique |
| Arsenic | 0.010 mg/L (10 ppb) | Health-based MCL since 2006 |
| Total Coliform | Treatment technique (RTCR) | Indicator organism, monitoring trigger |
| PFOA / PFOS (PFAS) | 4.0 ppt each (final 2024 rule) | Compliance deadline 2029 |
| Nitrate (as N) | 10 mg/L | Acute health risk for infants |
Frequently Asked Questions
Is JOSEPH, CITY OF water safe to drink? ▼
How many people does JOSEPH, CITY OF serve? ▼
What type of violations does JOSEPH, CITY OF have? ▼
Has PFAS been detected in JOSEPH, CITY OF water? ▼
What water source does JOSEPH, CITY OF use? ▼
Where does this data come from? ▼
Explore PlainWater
Related Data for Oregon
Read our methodology — how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.