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City of Vernonia

What EPA’s and CDC’s records show in this utility’s water: nitrate, arsenic and other regulated chemicals; lead and copper; and violations since 2016, with the certification that handles each result.

Serves
2,100 people
Connections
975
Water source
Surface water
Based in
Vernonia, OR
County
Columbia
Owner
Local government
The ZIP code it serves

97064

The short answer

Nothing in EPA’s and CDC’s records for this utility is above a health goal. That covers nitrate, arsenic and other regulated chemicals, plus lead and copper, not everything. 1 health-based violation since 2016.

What was found

Total trihalomethanes (TTHM), haloacetic acids (HAA5) and nitrate: Oregon’s yearly averages per water system, as CDC’s Environmental Public Health Tracking Network publishes them, 2020 to 2023, with EPA’s 2012 to 2019 file for earlier years.

Arsenic, chromium (total) and fluoride: EPA’s compliance monitoring file, samples taken from Nov. 5, 2019 to Nov. 5, 2019. Newer results are in the utility’s annual water quality report.

Below EPA’s limits3

Total trihalomethanes (TTHM)

Forms or is added in treatment

Below EPA’s limits

52.6ppb

Highest yearly average, 2020 to 2023

2023 average: 46.5 ppb

Averaged by year, the highest was 52.6 ppb, in 2020, below EPA’s legal limit of 80 ppb. In 2023, the latest year on file, it averaged 46.5 ppb. Earlier, from 2012 to 2019, EPA’s file shows a highest yearly average of 79.6 ppb, in 2018.

What handles it

  • NSF/ANSI 53 look for “Trihalomethanes (TTHM) Reduction”
  • NSF/ANSI 58 look for “Trihalomethanes (TTHM) Reduction”

Haloacetic acids (HAA5)

Forms or is added in treatment

Below EPA’s limits

32.2ppb

Highest yearly average, 2020 to 2023

2023 average: 30.6 ppb

Averaged by year, the highest was 32.2 ppb, in 2021, below EPA’s legal limit of 60 ppb. In 2023, the latest year on file, it averaged 30.6 ppb. Earlier, from 2012 to 2019, EPA’s file shows a highest yearly average of 34.1 ppb, in 2016.

What handles it

No certification claim covers this compound yet.

Nitrate

Comes from the source

Below EPA’s limits

0.76ppm

Highest yearly average, 2020 to 2023

2023 average: 0.55 ppm

Averaged by year, the highest was 0.76 ppm, in 2020, below EPA’s legal limit of 10 ppm. In 2023, the latest year on file, it averaged 0.55 ppm. Earlier, from 2012 to 2019, EPA’s file shows a highest sample of 1.6 ppm, in 2012.

What handles it

  • NSF/ANSI 58 look for “Nitrate/Nitrite Reduction”
  • NSF/ANSI 53 look for “Nitrate/Nitrite (30 ppm challenge)”
4 compounds tested and not foundBelow the reporting level in every sample. Not found is not the same as zero.
  • Arsenic
  • Chromium (total)
  • Fluoride
  • Lead

Violations since 2016

Contaminant or ruleTypePeriodMeasuredStatus
Surface Water Treatment RuleRequired treatment for surface water or groundwater was not met.EPA: Treatment Technique (SWTR and GWR)Feb. 1, 2019 to Feb. 28, 2019—Resolved
Health-based violations only. Resolved and archived mean the utility returned to compliance or the state closed the record. 56 monitoring or reporting violations not shown.

What this report can’t tell you

  • Everything else. Total trihalomethanes (TTHM), haloacetic acids (HAA5) and nitrate results here are Oregon’s yearly averages as CDC publishes them, from 2020 on, with EPA’s national file for 2012 to 2019. Arsenic, chromium (total) and fluoride come from EPA’s file alone, which ends in 2019. City of Vernonia’s own annual report, which it must send you every year, has newer results for those and the contaminants this page does not show.

  • Your own plumbing. Lead results are the 90th percentile across homes the utility samples. Your home’s service line, solder and fixtures decide yours. A certified lab test is the only way to know.

  • What it means for your health. This page reports what the records show and EPA’s limits and goals; it is not medical advice. If you are worried about a health effect, talk to a doctor or your local health department.

  • Anything after the latest data. SDWIS data is from 2026 Q3; UCMR 5 didn’t sample this utility; CDC’s yearly averages for Oregon cover 2020 to 2023; EPA’s compliance samples are from Nov. 5, 2019 to Nov. 5, 2019.

Testing your own tap

City of Vernonia’s results are for the water it sends out. What your own service line, solder and fixtures add shows up only in a test of your tap, by a lab Oregon certifies.

The 3 labs Oregon certifies closest to the area City of Vernonia serves, in a straight line. Call first: certification is test by test, and not every lab takes samples from homeowners.

  • ALS Environmental, Kelso

    Kelso, WA · about 31 miles

    Certified for bacteria, nitrate, lead and copper, metals, minerals and other inorganics, organic chemicals, disinfection byproducts, PFAS

    (360) 501-3362

  • OMIC USA Inc.

    Portland, OR · about 33 miles

    (503) 223-1497

  • BSK Associates ?Vancouver

    Vancouver, WA · about 33 miles

    Certified for bacteria, nitrate, minerals and other inorganics

    (360) 869-6344

Oregon State University Extension Well Water Program: Nitrate screening of well water at many of its groundwater education events. The screening is free. Water Testing Guidance for Private Wells, OSU Well Water Program.

All 91 certified labs for Oregon

Sources

PWSID OR4100922. Rebuilt from EPA data on Oct. 18, 2026.

Towns it serves

Also in Columbia County

All Oregon utilities

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