Water Quality

Bend’s water comes from clean, natural sources and is carefully treated to make it safe, reliable and great tasting. It’s tested thousands of times each year to meet high safety standards, so you can count on fresh water every day.

Kitchen faucet pouring water into a sink. Faded dark colored background behind.

The journey to clean, safe water starts with exceptional sources. In Bend, surface water from the Municipal Watershed is carefully treated at the Water Filtration Facility using membrane filtration. This process removes tiny particles and harmful organisms that are too small to see. Then, a small amount of chlorine is added to kill any remaining viruses or bacteria and to keep the water clean as it moves through storage tanks and pipelines.

Groundwater is naturally filtered as it flows through layers of soil, volcanic rock, sand, and gravel. When it’s pumped up for use, a little chlorine is added to make sure it’s safe to drink. Whether it comes from mountain streams or deep underground, Bend’s water is treated with care every step of the way.

Bend Municipal Watershed

The U.S. Forest Service requires special use permits, agreements and regular monitoring for any water used from the Bend Municipal Watershed.

Lab-Tested to Protect Your Safety

Your safety is our top priority, and that’s why the City of Bend water is lab-tested to meet the highest standards. In fact, it meets or goes beyond all state and federal drinking water quality rules. Every year, we run thousands of tests in our state-accredited lab, checking for 130 different possible contaminants. What does that mean for you? Clean, great-tasting water you can count on—every hour of the day, every day of the year.

Testing for Lead and Copper in Your Drinking Water

Older plumbing systems can sometimes allow lead and copper to enter household water supplies. To ensure the water remains safe and healthy, the City of Bend conducts routine testing—both within the distribution system and directly from residents’ taps.

Lead Service Line Inventory Results

The City of Bend’s Drinking Water Service Line Inventory Project, completed in 2024, was initiated to comply with new federal regulations aimed at reducing lead exposure in drinking water. The project involved inspecting both public and private water service lines to identify any that were made of lead or galvanized materials requiring replacement. Using a statistically approved sampling method, the City inspected around 370 private properties. The outcome was good news: no lead or galvanized-requiring replacement service lines were found in either public or private portions of the water distribution system. This confirmed that Bend’s infrastructure meets safety standards, reinforcing the City’s commitment to providing safe, high-quality drinking water to its residents.

Per – and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances (PFAS)

The City of Bend Water Services Department cares deeply about providing clean, safe and dependable drinking water to everyone in our community. We’re also staying up to date with national guidelines about certain chemicals called perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), which have been found in some water sources.

Annual Water Quality Report

The City of Bend annual provides our Water Quality Report to our community Members. This report shares helpful information about the quality of your drinking water. The report contains details about where our water comes from and easy tips to help you understand the data we’ve included.

Water providers can let customers know about Water Quality Reports online instead of mailing a paper copy to everyone. However, if you’d like a paper copy, just call the Water Services Department at 541-317-3000, ext. 2, or send us a request online—we’re happy to help!

Drinking Water Quality Basics Frequently Asked Questions

We’re so glad you’re here. If you’re just getting started with your water service, check out our Water Services Billing page. You’ll learn where our water comes from, where it goes after you use it, how to pay your bill, and simple ways to help protect and conserve this important resource.

The City of Bend Water Services Department keeps a close eye on your water. We test for over 100 different substances—some required by law and others we check just to be safe. Every year, we share the results in our Water Quality Report. If you don’t see a certain health-related contaminant listed, that means it wasn’t found in our water this year.

Good question! The water in Bend usually falls between 0.99 and 1.46 grains of hardness per gallon. That means it’s considered “soft” to “slightly hard,” according to the U.S. Department of the Interior and the Water Quality Association.

No, we don’t add fluoride. However, small amounts of it naturally occur in both surface water and groundwater. If you’re thinking about fluoride for dental health, it’s a good idea to talk with your dentist.

We’ve got you covered! Whether you’re caring for fish, brewing beer, or just curious, here are some helpful links:

You can explore all of Bend’s water data online through the Oregon Public Health Drinking Water Data site:

Additional Resources

Contacts