Historical Compliance Records OR

Klamath Falls Water Department

EPA ID: OR4100443 ยท 40,475 people served ยท 2 ZIP codes

ZipCheckup's reading of EPA records for Klamath Falls Water Department (OR4100443): 199 violations on record since 2021. 199 violations on file at Klamath Falls Water Department, none open; 40,475 people served.

Data: EPA SDWIS

D ยท 50
Avg Safety Score
40,475
People Served
2
ZIP Codes Served
199
Violations (since 2021)
Groundwater
Water Source
Below the reporting limit
Most recent lead 90th percentile on record (monitoring period ending 2024-12-31)
Zone 2
County Radon Potential ยท Moderate
52
Contaminants Flagged
$259K
Median Home Value in ZIP Codes Served

Service Area Map

Coverage area for Klamath Falls Water Department Source: EPA SDWIS service area boundaries.

Service area boundary - average Home Safety grade of mapped ZIPs: D

Demographics of ZIP Codes Served

$58,803
Median Household Income
54,963
Population of ZIP Codes Served (Census)
55%
Disadvantaged Population
70th
Poverty Percentile
70th
Energy Burden Percentile
70%
Pre-1986 Housing

The ZIP codes associated with Klamath Falls Water Department have a median household income of $58,803 and about 54,963 residents live in those ZIP codes (Census; not the number of people this system supplies). Approximately 70% of housing stock was built before 1986, which increases the likelihood of lead service lines and older plumbing.

Environmental Justice Note: On average, 55% of census tracts in the counties mapped to this service area are designated disadvantaged by the federal Climate and Economic Justice Screening Tool (CEJST, 2022 version). Communities with higher disadvantaged populations often face disproportionate environmental and health burdens, including aging water infrastructure and limited resources for remediation.

๐Ÿ’ง Where Does Your Water Come From?

Groundwater

Klamath Falls Water Department's water is classified in EPA records as a groundwater source. Groundwater is naturally filtered through rock and soil, but it can be vulnerable to PFAS contamination, nitrates from agriculture, and industrial chemicals that seep into the water table.

Elevated Risk
Source Contamination Risk
30th
Wastewater Discharge Proximity
60th
Superfund Site Proximity

Superfund Proximity Note: This service area ranks in the 60th percentile nationally for proximity to Superfund (NPL) sites. Groundwater sources near contaminated sites may face elevated risk from industrial chemicals.

Infrastructure Risk

57 yr
Estimated pipe age (modeled from housing age)
Galvanized Steel or Copper
Likely pipe material (modeled)
11 yr
Est. Remaining Life
Moderate Wear
Decay Status
Installed 84% of expected lifespan used (estimate) End of life

PFAS in ZIP Codes This System Serves

PFAS ("forever chemicals") have been reported in samples from water systems associated with the ZIP codes in this system's area. These results can come from other water systems serving the same ZIP codes; check the UCMR5 section for any results reported for this system. 6 detections recorded. 2 detections are above the level of a federal PFAS MCL (4 ppt for PFOA and PFOS), with compliance required from 2029.

Health concern: Exposure to certain PFAS has been associated with some cancers and with immune and developmental effects; effects differ by compound. Many PFAS break down very slowly in the environment.
Recommended filter: An activated carbon filter certified under NSF/ANSI 53 or a reverse osmosis system certified under NSF/ANSI 58 for the PFAS listed in its certification. Find the right filter โ†’

Comparable Water Systems

Similar-sized systems in Oregon

A 2 violations
City of Keizer
38,585 people
A 2 violations
Redmond Water Department
37,566 people
A 0 violations
City of Grants Pass
37,138 people
A 31 violations
Avion Wc - Greater Avion
35,332 people
0 violations

Estimated Remediation Costs

Average estimated costs across ZIP codes served by this system

PFAS Treatment
PFAS Treatment $500
Total Estimated Cost $500

Based on national averages for common remediation projects. Actual costs vary by property. Only issues flagged by EPA, FEMA, or state data for each ZIP code are included.

Cost of Inaction

Illustrative per-household cost scenario based on stated assumptions:

Estimated Healthcare Costs $1,500

Annual per household (ZipCheckup estimate)

PFAS Exposure - Lifetime Cost $1,000

Per person (emerging research est.)

Estimated Cumulative Cost Per Household

5 years
$7,665
10 years
$15,330
20 years
$30,660

Compare: Estimated remediation cost is $500 (one-time) vs. $15,330 in estimated inaction costs over 10 years.

Individual costs vary by household size, property, and health factors. These estimates are for awareness, not financial advice.

System Overview

Klamath Falls Water Department (EPA ID: OR4100443) is a community water system in Oregon that serves approximately 40,475 people from groundwater sources.

This system provides water to 2 ZIP codes across 1 community.

ZIP-Area Home Safety Context: D (50/100)

This is the average Home Safety Score for 2 of 2 service-area ZIP codes with all required score domains observed. It is not a grade for the water utility.

Model 4.0.0 uses SDWIS identity plus accepted ECHO SDWA lifecycle-based water compliance, the UCMR 5 PFAS MCL screen, EPA radon zone, and annual EPA AirData AQI across three equally weighted domains. Missing required evidence suppresses the score.

Violation History

No current noncompliance in the accepted 2026Q2 snapshot. The 199 records in the 2021-2026 window are classified as resolved or archived, not current.

Status breakdown for accepted records with record years 2021-2026: 149 resolved, 50 archived, 0 addressed, and 0 unaddressed. Under this source contract, current noncompliance is the sum of addressed and unaddressed records. Archived and resolved records are excluded from current noncompliance.

Recent Violations

Date Contaminant Type Status
February 1, 2025 Revised Total Coliform Rule Non-health-based Resolved
October 1, 2024 Consumer Confidence Rule Non-health-based Resolved
September 1, 2024 Revised Total Coliform Rule Non-health-based Resolved
July 1, 2023 Consumer Confidence Rule Non-health-based Resolved
January 1, 2023 1,2,4-Trichlorobenzene Non-health-based Archived
January 1, 2023 cis-1,2-Dichloroethylene Non-health-based Archived
January 1, 2023 Xylenes, Total Non-health-based Archived
January 1, 2023 DICHLOROMETHANE Non-health-based Archived
January 1, 2023 o-Dichlorobenzene Non-health-based Archived
January 1, 2023 p-Dichlorobenzene Non-health-based Archived
January 1, 2023 Vinyl chloride Non-health-based Archived
January 1, 2023 1,1-Dichloroethylene Non-health-based Archived
January 1, 2023 trans-1,2-Dichloroethylene Non-health-based Archived
January 1, 2023 1,2-Dichloroethane Non-health-based Archived
January 1, 2023 1,1,1-Trichloroethane Non-health-based Archived
January 1, 2023 Carbon tetrachloride Non-health-based Archived
January 1, 2023 1,2-Dichloropropane Non-health-based Archived
January 1, 2023 Trichloroethylene Non-health-based Archived
January 1, 2023 1,1,2-Trichloroethane Non-health-based Archived
January 1, 2023 Tetrachloroethylene Non-health-based Archived

Contaminants Detected

The following contaminants have been flagged in EPA records for this water system:

Contaminant Category Violations Health-Based
Endrin Other Violation 6 No
BHC-GAMMA Other Violation 6 No
Methoxychlor Other Violation 6 No
Toxaphene Other Violation 6 No
Dalapon Other Violation 6 No
Diquat Other Violation 6 No
Endothall Other Violation 6 No
Glyphosate Other Violation 6 No
Di(2-ethylhexyl) adipate Other Violation 6 No
OXAMYL Other Violation 6 No
Simazine Other Violation 6 No
Atrazine Organic 6 No
Picloram Other Violation 6 No
Dinoseb Other Violation 6 No
Hexachlorocyclopentadiene Other Violation 6 No

Lead & Copper

EPA Lead and Copper Rule evidence attributed directly to this water system:

Lead Level Exceeds Action Level Sample Date
Below the reporting limit No 2024-12-31

No copper action-level exceedance record appears for this PWSID in the accepted LCR snapshot. This does not establish a clean copper measurement.

Radon Risk in Service Area

2 of 2 ZIP records with known zones are in EPA Radon Zone 2.

The EPA recommends testing all homes regardless of radon zone. County radon zones cannot replace an in-home radon test.

ZIP Codes Served

Coverage: Service area ZIP codes sourced from EPA Community Water System Service Area Boundaries v3 (March 2026 release). These ZIPs reflect the actual deployment footprint recorded by OR or modeled from parcel and building-footprint data.

Data Sources

This report uses public data from the EPA Safe Drinking Water Information System (SDWIS). View available EPA compliance records for Klamath Falls Water Department (OR4100443) on EPA.gov.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Klamath Falls Water Department water safe to drink?

The accepted 2026Q2 ECHO snapshot shows no current noncompliance for Klamath Falls Water Department; its 199 accepted 2021-2026 records are resolved or archived. Historical compliance status does not establish conditions at a specific tap.

How many people does Klamath Falls Water Department serve?

Klamath Falls Water Department serves approximately 40,475 people across 2 ZIP codes in Oregon.

Where does Klamath Falls Water Department get its water?

The primary water source is groundwater.

Federal UCMR5 PFAS Monitoring: Sample Above an EPA MCL Value or State Standard

This water system was tested under the federal EPA Unregulated Contaminant Monitoring Rule (UCMR5). One or more PFAS measurements were above the level of the EPA MCL for that compound (April 2024 rule, which takes effect in 2029) or above an applicable state drinking-water standard; a monitoring result above that level is not by itself a violation.

Samples collected
348
Detections
6
Latest sample
9/10/2024
Highest analyte
PFOS: 9.5 ppt
Analyte Max detected EPA MCL (compliance required from 2029) Status
PFOS 9.5 ppt 4 ppt Above EPA MCL value (compliance required from 2029)
PFHxS 5.8 ppt 10 ppt Below EPA MCL
PFBS 4.3 ppt No federal MCL โ€”

EPA's April 2024 PFAS rule sets MCLs of 4 ppt for PFOA and PFOS and 10 ppt for PFHxS, PFNA and HFPO-DA (GenX); water systems must comply from 2029. Other PFAS compounds have no individual federal MCL. A state standard is shown only where this system's state has its own enforceable PFAS limit. Detection results are EPA UCMR5 samples, not a measurement at your tap.

Source: U.S. EPA UCMR5 (Unregulated Contaminant Monitoring Rule, 5th cycle) โ€” per-system federal sampling, 2023โ€“2025. EPA UCMR5 monitoring program โ†’

Understand PFAS health context and filtration โ†’

How Water Systems Appear in Rankings

Water systems are evaluated by violation history, contaminant detections, and service population. Larger systems with more service connections appear in more rankings.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is water from Klamath Falls Water Department safe to drink? ▼
Klamath Falls Water Department has 199 recorded violations since 2021. The D shown is a ZIP-area score, not a grade for this utility; see the violation table for what was violated.
Should I use a water filter? ▼
Given 199 recorded violations, review the violation types and dates; a filter certified for a specific contaminant of concern can reduce that contaminant at the tap. Monitoring or reporting violations are not something a filter addresses.
How many people does Klamath Falls Water Department serve? ▼
Klamath Falls Water Department serves approximately 40,475 people with drinking water across 2 ZIP codes.
What is Klamath Falls Water Department's water source? ▼
Klamath Falls Water Department draws water from groundwater sources. Source type affects which contaminants are most likely to be present.
Is there lead in Klamath Falls Water Department's water? ▼
The reported 90th-percentile lead result is below the laboratory reporting limit, not a measured zero; EPA's health goal for lead is zero. This is at or below the EPA lead action level, which triggers system action and is not a safe level; the EPA health goal for lead is zero.
What is the demographic profile of the ZIP codes associated with Klamath Falls Water Department? ▼
The ZIP codes mapped to Klamath Falls Water Department have a median household income of $58,803 (Census ZIP-code estimate). In CEJST data, 55% of census tracts in the counties mapped to this area are designated disadvantaged (average across mapped ZIP codes), which may indicate greater vulnerability to environmental health risks.
Where does Klamath Falls Water Department get its water? ▼
Klamath Falls Water Department's water is classified in EPA records as a groundwater source. Groundwater is naturally filtered through rock and soil, but it can be vulnerable to PFAS contamination, nitrates from agriculture, and industrial chemicals that seep into the water table. The available violation history and environmental indicators place this system in the elevated review category; they do not measure current source contamination.

How to cite this page

APA ZipCheckup. (n.d.). Klamath Falls Water Department (OR): 199 EPA Violations. https://zipcheckup.com/water-system/or4100443/
BibTeX
@misc{zipcheckup-water-system-or4100443,
  author = {{ZipCheckup}},
  title  = {{Klamath Falls Water Department (OR): 199 EPA Violations}},
  year   = {n.d.},
  url    = {https://zipcheckup.com/water-system/or4100443/}
}

What You Can Do

1

Test your water

Home test kits can detect lead, bacteria, and other contaminants at your tap. Find the right filter โ†’

2

Check your specific ZIP code

Water quality can vary within a system. View nearest ZIP report โ†’

3

Contact your utility

Klamath Falls Water Department (EPA ID: OR4100443) - request the latest Consumer Confidence Report or ask about specific contaminants.

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