States ›Oregon ›Sherman County ›Rufus

Rufus, OR Tap Water Quality 2026

Water quality report for Rufus, OR — PFAS, lead and copper results, violation history and state inspection findings from EPA SDWIS.

A look at Rufus's drinking water using EPA enforcement records: violations, lead and copper results, PFAS sampling and state inspection findings.

Main Utility: Rufus Public Works PWSID: OR4100723 Updated: 2026 Q2
✅

No federal limits exceeded on record

Lead is 7.00 ppb, 47% of the action level and no violations are open. PFAS has never been sampled at this system.

B

Rufus earns a B for water quality

Graded on violations and lead, with state inspection findings. PFAS not tested.

Lead: 7.00 ppb — 47% of the federal action level
PFAS never sampled at this system
14 violations since 2015, 0 health-based
No violations currently open
Rufus's lead level vs. all Oregon community water systems
0 ppb5 ppb10 ppb15 ppb
Lead level: 7.00 ppb — 47% of the federal action level
✓ Lower lead than 7% of Oregon utilities
Population Served
268
~125 connections
Water Source
Groundwater
Drawn from wells — SDWIS source code GW
Active Violations
0
14 since 2015, all resolved

Lead & Copper Testing

Lead (Pb)
90th percentile of tap samples collected across the distribution system
47% of EPA action level
7.00 ppb
Action level: 15 ppb
The 90th-percentile lead result is 7.00 ppb, 47% of the 15 ppb federal action level. The action level is a treatment trigger, not a legal maximum, and it is measured across sampled taps rather than at any single home.

Contaminant Violations (2015–Present)

ContaminantTypeMeasuredLimitPeriodStatus
Nitrate MONITORING AND REPORTING — 10 mg/L 2025 Resolved
Nitrate MONITORING AND REPORTING — 10 mg/L 2025 Resolved
COLIPHAGE MONITORING AND REPORTING — — 2024 Archived
COLIPHAGE MONITORING AND REPORTING — — 2024 Archived
COLIPHAGE MONITORING AND REPORTING — — 2024 Archived
Nitrate MONITORING AND REPORTING — 10 mg/L 2024 Resolved
Consumer Confidence Rule OTHER — — 2023 Resolved
Nitrate MONITORING AND REPORTING — 10 mg/L 2021 Resolved
Combined Radium (-226 and -228) MONITORING AND REPORTING — 5 pCi/L 2020–2025 Archived
Gross Alpha, Excl. Radon and U MONITORING AND REPORTING — 15 pCi/L 2020–2025 Archived
Nitrate MONITORING AND REPORTING — 10 mg/L 2016 Resolved
Combined Uranium MONITORING AND REPORTING — 30 ug/L 2016 Resolved
Combined Radium (-226 and -228) MONITORING AND REPORTING — 5 pCi/L 2016 Resolved
Gross Alpha, Excl. Radon and U MONITORING AND REPORTING — 15 pCi/L 2016 Resolved
Understanding violation types MCL violations mean a contaminant exceeded the federal maximum limit — the most serious type.
TT (Treatment Technique) violations mean required treatment procedures weren't followed, but don't necessarily mean contamination occurred.

Violation History

14 violations are on record since 2015, of which 0 were health-based. All have been resolved and none remain open.

About the Main Water System

Utility Rufus Public Works
PWSID OR4100723
Water source Groundwater — Drawn from wells — SDWIS source code GW
Population served 268
Service connections 125
Systems serving this area 1
Regulator State primacy agency
Data through 2026 Q2 — EPA SDWIS

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Rufus tap water safe to drink? ▼
No federal limit is exceeded on record. No violations are currently open. Lead is 7.00 ppb, 47% of the action level.
Does Rufus water have PFAS? ▼
This system has never been sampled for PFAS. EPA's national monitoring covered systems serving 3,300 people or more, so no results exist — which is not evidence that none is present.
Who supplies water to Rufus? ▼
Rufus Public Works (PWSID OR4100723). Groundwater. Drawn from wells — SDWIS source code GW
When was this system last inspected? ▼
It was last inspected on 2021-06-17. No significant deficiencies were recorded.

What Should Rufus Residents Do?

1
Consider a filter certified for lead
Look for NSF/ANSI 53 certification for lead reduction.
2
Check for a lead service line
Lead reaches tap water mainly through service lines and household plumbing. Suppliers now publish an inventory identifying lead lines.
3
Flush before drinking
If water has sat in pipes more than six hours, run the cold tap for two minutes before drinking or cooking.

Nearby Cities in Oregon

Moro, Or Tap Water Quality 2026 Sherman Wasco, Or Tap Water Quality 2026 Sherman Grass Valley, Or Tap Water Quality 2026 Sherman