City of Hermiston

Water Resources and Treatment

Hermiston obtains water from multiple sources. The city relies on three deep wells, one shallow well, and surface water from Lake Wallula on the Columbia River (also known as the McNary Pool). The deep wells, which were the city's original primary water supply, draw from the deep Columbia River Basalt aquifer. Wells #2 and #4 serve as the main deep wells connected to the primary distribution network, while Well #6 supplies the higher elevation service area in the southeast portion of Hermiston. Well #5 draws from the shallow alluvial aquifer and connects to the central distribution system.

The entire water distribution network is fully interconnected. Surface water is drawn from Lake Wallula via an intake and pump station at the Port of Umatilla near McNary Dam. This water is pumped to the treatment facility where it undergoes filtration and disinfection for domestic use. Chlorine is added to all water sources for disinfection and to maintain system integrity.

System Improvements

The City continually maintains and enhances the water system. During 2017, as part of ongoing efforts to improve customer service, direct access to water usage data was implemented. The EyeOnWater website and FREE App (available for Android and iOS users) provide tools to monitor and analyze water consumption, view hourly usage through easy-to-understand graphs, and set alerts—including potential leak notifications. To get started, visit https://eyeonwater.com

Understanding Contaminants

All water sources, including bottled water, may reasonably contain at least small amounts of some contaminants. The presence of contaminants doesn't necessarily indicate a health risk. For more information about contaminants and potential health effects, call the EPA's Safe Municipal Water Hotline (1-800-426-4791).

Potential contaminants in source water include:
• Microbial contaminants such as viruses and bacteria
• Inorganic contaminants like salts and metals (naturally occurring or from urban runoff, industrial/mining activities)
• Pesticides and herbicides from agriculture, urban stormwater runoff, and residential use
• Organic chemical contaminants including synthetic and volatile organics from industrial processes and stormwater
• Radioactive contaminants that occur naturally or result from mining operations

Lead Awareness: Elevated lead levels can cause serious health problems, especially for pregnant women and young children. Lead in tap water primarily comes from materials in service lines and home plumbing. While the City provides quality water, we cannot control plumbing components. If water sits for several hours, minimize lead exposure by flushing your tap for 30 seconds to 2 minutes before using water for drinking or cooking.