Lincoln City Water District

Where does Lincoln City's water originate? Our municipal water comes from Schooner Creek, situated southeast of the city. The U.S. Forest Service manages approximately 77% of the roughly 20-square-mile watershed, with the remainder under U.S. BLM or private ownership.

Schooner Creek provides excellent water quality - soft with neutral pH. Like all surface water sources, it can experience bacterial contamination from wildlife including beavers and birds, which our treatment facility effectively removes. Flow rates vary seasonally from about 4.5 million gallons daily in summer to over 600 million gallons daily during winter months.

Why might contaminants appear in tap water? All water, including bottled varieties, may contain small amounts of certain contaminants, which doesn't necessarily indicate health risks. As water travels across land or underground, it dissolves naturally-occurring minerals and can pick up substances from animal presence or human activities:

• Microbial contaminants from sewage plants, septic systems, agricultural operations, and wildlife
• Inorganic contaminants like salts and metals from urban runoff, wastewater discharges, or farming
• Pesticides and herbicides from agriculture, urban runoff, and residential usage
• Organic chemical contaminants from industrial processes, petroleum production, gas stations, and septic systems
• Radioactive contaminants that occur naturally or result from resource extraction activities

EPA regulations limit contaminant levels in public water systems, while FDA regulations establish similar protections for bottled water.

How can residents get involved? Pick up a FREE water conservation kit at city hall or connect with the Midcoast Watersheds Council (541-265-9195) for watershed protection opportunities.

Conservation Tips: The average American household uses approximately 350 gallons daily. You can conserve water by:

• Watering lawns during cooler parts of the day
• Repairing leaky fixtures promptly
• Taking shorter showers (5 minutes uses 4-5 gallons versus 50 for a bath)
• Turning off taps while brushing teeth or shaving (saves 3-5 gallons per minute)
• Teaching children about water conservation

FREE conservation kits are available at city hall to help reduce your monthly water bill.

Monitoring and compliance: No violations reported.

Unregulated contaminant monitoring: Lincoln City Water District has tested for unregulated contaminants to help EPA determine future standards. For detailed results, contact Charlie Lunstedt at 541-996-2987. The next round of unregulated contaminant sampling begins in August 2018.

Lead information: Elevated lead levels can cause serious health problems, especially for pregnant women and young children. While Lincoln City Water District provides high-quality water, household plumbing materials may contain lead. To minimize exposure, flush your tap for 30 seconds to 2 minutes after water has been sitting for several hours. For more information, contact the Safe Drinking Water Hotline (800-426-4791) or visit http://www.epa.gov/safewater/lead.

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