State guide
Oregon
Oregon’s drinking water program is at the Oregon Health Authority, and the state’s lead-service-line implementation materials are on OHA’s Lead and Copper Rule Revisions and Improvements page. Oregon’s statewide pages stress inventories and full replacement funding, while large city pages reviewed here typically place homeowner responsibility from the meter box or meter downstream to the building.
Checked against official sources on October 4, 2026. Rules and links change; confirm with the office listed before you act.
Try a ZIP like 30303, “Travis County” or “Columbus, OH”
- Who usually owns the water service line
- Generally yes in the Oregon cities reviewed: Portland, Salem, and Hillsboro place homeowner responsibility at or after the meter, meter stop, or meter box, with the utility responsible from the main to that point.
- State drinking water program
- Oregon Health Authority, Drinking Water Services
- Permits for repair or replacement
- Oregon’s plumbing code program and permit forms treat water-service work as plumbing work handled by the local authority having jurisdiction, so permit requirements should be confirmed locally before replacement.
- Assistance programs
- State SDWRLF materials say eligible public water systems can get lead service line replacement funding that must fully replace the lead line on both public and private sides up to premise plumbing.
Official resources in Oregon
Oregon Health Authority Drinking Water Services
State drinking water program home page for rules, system data, and compliance information.
Oregon Building Codes Division Plumbing Code Program
State plumbing code program page for permit and code questions related to plumbing work.
Business Oregon Safe Drinking Water Revolving Loan Fund Handbook
Official state funding handbook describing lead service line replacement funding for eligible public water systems.
Key facts for Oregon
- OHA says public water suppliers had to submit initial service line inventories by October 16, 2024.
- OHA says EPA’s 2024 LCRI requires identification and replacement of lead pipes within 10 years, by 2034.
- OHA’s lead page says lead service lines have not been found in Oregon’s distribution systems.
- Portland code says the Water Bureau maintains through the meter to the meter stop for 1-inch and smaller services.
- Salem says public lines run from the water main to the meter box, and private lines run from the meter box to the building.
- Hillsboro says the homeowner is responsible for the water service line from the meter to the residence.
Utility water service line rules in Oregon
| Utility | city | phone | Details |
|---|---|---|---|
| OHA Drinking Water Program Multnomah County | Portland | 971-673-0405 | State drinking water program contact listed by Oregon DEQ for public-water-system compliance questions. |
| Portland Water Bureau customer service Multnomah County | Portland | 503-823-7770 | Customer service page includes leak-adjustment requests; Portland pages say the City maintains up to and including the water meter. |
| Home Water Leak Repair Program Multnomah County | Portland | 503-823-6060 | Free leak repair help for income-qualified homeowners; may cover underground water pipe leaks. |
| Hillsboro Water Department Washington County | Hillsboro | Not published* | Water department page says Hillsboro is responsible from the main to the meter; homeowners own from the meter to the home. |
| Hillsboro Utility Billing Washington County | Hillsboro | Not published* | Utility billing page says the Water Department offers support, free home water audits, and a leak adjustment program. |
| Salem Water Quality Hotline Marion County | Salem | Not published* | Salem’s lead-service-line pages say no lead service lines have been found and the hotline handles free water-sample testing requests. |
| Salem Public Works Dispatch Marion County | Salem | Not published* | 24/7 city contact for water, sewer, or street emergencies. |
* Not published: the official page doesn't list it. Call the office to confirm before you rely on it.
What to do next
- Use Oregon’s state service-line inventory lookup first, then confirm the exact split of responsibility with your city utility because city diagrams use meter, meter stop, or meter box terms.
- Ask the local building official or plumbing permit desk whether your job needs a plumbing permit before replacing a private service line.
- If you are in Portland or Hillsboro and have a leak, ask about leak-adjustment or repair-help options before paying the full bill.
Not seeing your utility or county?
We list a utility only when an official government page publishes its rules. If yours isn't in the table above, it may not publish them online yet. Here's what to use instead, in order:
- General Start with the statewide information above. It applies across Oregon, but cities and counties can add their own steps, fees or deadlines.
- Closest verified Nearest places where we have verified local data outside this state (distance from Oregon's population center, for comparison only):
- Washington State Department of Health Office of Drinking Water, Washington · about 162 miles
- Bellevue Utilities Service Line Inventory, Washington · about 200 miles
- Bellevue Utility Review, Washington · about 200 miles
- Call to confirm Ask the official office. They have the current local rule, fee and form.Oregon Building Codes Division Plumbing Code Program
Website →Phone: (503) 378-4133 (as listed on that page, checked Oct 4, 2026)Your city or county office: Local governments →Not sure who handles it locally? USAGov's free help line, 1-844-872-4681, or the Oregon page on USA.gov can point you to the right office. - Know the current info? Tell us and include a link to the official page. We check every tip before it goes up.
Helpful guides
- Who is responsible for the water line to your house?
- The curb stop, meter and property line, explained
- Water line leak in your yard: what to do
- Water service line replacement costs
Water line responsibility check →
Do you serve Oregon? Get a featured listing for $30/month, clearly labeled as a paid placement.