AREA 61
PWS ID: OR4194571 · MERLIN, Oregon 97532
AREA 61 serves 260 people in MERLIN, Oregon using Groundwater water sources. It has 206 recorded EPA violations, including 1 health-based violations. No PFAS contamination was detected in UCMR5 testing.
Water Quality Snapshot: AREA 61
AREA 61 is a private-owned non-transient non-community water system that delivers drinking water to 260 residents in MERLIN, Oregon (Josephine County) through 5 service connections. Its water is drawn from groundwater sources. EPA's Safe Drinking Water Information System records 206 total violations for this system , of which 1 (0%) are health-based — meaning a contaminant exceeded an EPA Maximum Contaminant Level or a required treatment technique failed. A further 202 monitoring and reporting violations are on file. The most recent violation on record dates to 2025.
The most frequently cited contaminant at this system is Coliform (TCR), recorded in 83 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. AREA 61's 206 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
- Non-Transient Non-Community
- Owner Type
- Private
- Connections
- 5
- County
- Josephine
- School/Daycare
- No
- MCL Violations
- 0
- Monitoring Violations
- 202
- Treatment Tech Violations
- 1
Violation History
Contaminant violations recorded by EPA.
| Contaminant | Category | Count | Latest |
|---|---|---|---|
| Coliform (TCR) | MR | 83 | 2015 |
| Revised Total Coliform Rule | MON | 25 | 2024 |
| COLIPHAGE | MR | 23 | 2014 |
| Nitrate | MR | 19 | 2018 |
| Lead and Copper Rule | MR | 2 | 2025 |
| LEAD AND COPPER RULE REVISIONS | TT | 1 | 2024 |
| Hexachlorocyclopentadiene | MR | 1 | 2024 |
| Endothall | MR | 1 | 2024 |
| Benzene | MR | 1 | 2024 |
| Heptachlor | MR | 1 | 2024 |
| CHLOROBENZENE | MR | 1 | 2024 |
| 1,1,1-Trichloroethane | MR | 1 | 2024 |
| Toxaphene | MR | 1 | 2024 |
| Toluene | MR | 1 | 2024 |
| 1,2-DIBROMO-3-CHLOROPROPANE | MR | 1 | 2024 |
| Ethylbenzene | MR | 1 | 2024 |
| Vinyl chloride | MR | 1 | 2024 |
| DICHLOROMETHANE | MR | 1 | 2024 |
| 1,2-Dichloroethane | MR | 1 | 2024 |
| Glyphosate | MR | 1 | 2024 |
| Di(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate | MR | 1 | 2024 |
| Picloram | MR | 1 | 2024 |
| OXAMYL | MR | 1 | 2024 |
| 1,2,4-Trichlorobenzene | MR | 1 | 2024 |
| BHC-GAMMA | MR | 1 | 2024 |
| ETHYLENE DIBROMIDE | MR | 1 | 2024 |
| o-Dichlorobenzene | MR | 1 | 2024 |
| Atrazine | MR | 1 | 2024 |
| 1,1,2-Trichloroethane | MR | 1 | 2024 |
| 2,4-D | MR | 1 | 2024 |
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 AREA 61.
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 OR4194571 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | Lead and Copper Rule | MR | 2 | SDWIS / OR4194571 / 5000 |
| 2024 | Revised Total Coliform Rule | MON | 25 | SDWIS / OR4194571 / 8000 |
| 2024 | LEAD AND COPPER RULE REVISIONS | TT | 1 | SDWIS / OR4194571 / 5200 |
| 2024 | Hexachlorocyclopentadiene | MR | 1 | SDWIS / OR4194571 / 2042 |
| 2024 | Endothall | MR | 1 | SDWIS / OR4194571 / 2033 |
| 2024 | Benzene | MR | 1 | SDWIS / OR4194571 / 2990 |
| 2024 | Heptachlor | MR | 1 | SDWIS / OR4194571 / 2065 |
| 2024 | CHLOROBENZENE | MR | 1 | SDWIS / OR4194571 / 2989 |
| 2024 | 1,1,1-Trichloroethane | MR | 1 | SDWIS / OR4194571 / 2981 |
| 2024 | Toxaphene | MR | 1 | SDWIS / OR4194571 / 2020 |
| 2024 | Toluene | MR | 1 | SDWIS / OR4194571 / 2991 |
| 2024 | 1,2-DIBROMO-3-CHLOROPROPANE | MR | 1 | SDWIS / OR4194571 / 2931 |
| 2024 | Ethylbenzene | MR | 1 | SDWIS / OR4194571 / 2992 |
| 2024 | Vinyl chloride | MR | 1 | SDWIS / OR4194571 / 2976 |
| 2024 | DICHLOROMETHANE | MR | 1 | SDWIS / OR4194571 / 2964 |
How AREA 61 Compares
Cross-reference this system's record against state averages and the federal MCL framework for context.
| Metric | AREA 61 | Oregon avg | Federal benchmark |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total violations | 206 | 82.1 | SDWA compliance — any non-zero count is a recorded breach |
| Health-based violations | 1 | 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 | 260 | 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
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Related Data for Oregon
Read our methodology — how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.