Home hazard report for 97256 — Portland, OR
ZIP 97256 is served by Portland Water Bureau: 1 violation since 2016, latest lead result 5 ppb, PFAS not detected. Multnomah is in EPA radon zone 2.
Health-based violations since 2016: Long Term 2 Enhanced Surface Water Treatment Rule. 1 is still listed as unresolved in EPA records.
90th-percentile lead in the latest round (Jan 2026). Lead comes mostly from household plumbing and service lines, so individual homes can be higher.
None of the tested PFAS were found above EPA’s reporting limits in 2023–2025.
Predicted average indoor radon between 2 and 4 pCi/L. Test your home; many homes here exceed 4 pCi/L.
The nearest active Superfund site is 4.9 miles away.
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Where ZIP 97256 is
blue: utility service area · scroll or pinch to zoomDrinking water: Portland Water Bureau
Health-based violations
| Contaminant or rule | Health-based violations since 2016 |
|---|---|
| Long Term 2 Enhanced Surface Water Treatment Rule | 1 |
A health-based violation means a contaminant exceeded its legal limit (MCL) or a required treatment technique was not met, as reported by the state to EPA’s SDWIS. 1 still listed as unresolved (“unaddressed” or “addressed” but not yet returned to compliance); the latest began Dec 2017.
Lead
90th-percentile lead per sampling round (90% of the homes sampled were at or below this level). Black line: EPA’s 15 ppb action level; under the Lead and Copper Rule Improvements the action level becomes 10 ppb from 2027.
PFAS (“forever chemicals”)
| Compound | Highest result | Samples with detection | EPA limit |
|---|---|---|---|
| PFDA | not detected | 0 of 6 | — |
| PFHxA | not detected | 0 of 6 | — |
| PFOA | not detected | 0 of 6 | 4 ppt MCL |
| PFOS | not detected | 0 of 6 | 4 ppt MCL |
| PFNA | not detected | 0 of 6 | — |
| PFHxS | not detected | 0 of 6 | — |
| HFPO-DA (GenX) | not detected | 0 of 6 | — |
| PFHpA | not detected | 0 of 6 | — |
| PFBA | not detected | 0 of 6 | — |
| PFPeA | not detected | 0 of 6 | — |
| PFBS | not detected | 0 of 6 | — |
EPA Fifth Unregulated Contaminant Monitoring Rule (UCMR 5), samples 2023–2025; ppt = parts per trillion (ng/L). The 4.0 ppt maximum contaminant levels for PFOA and PFOS were set by EPA in 2024; water systems have until the end of the decade to comply.
Radon in Multnomah
EPA radon zone 2 — moderate potential. Predicted average indoor radon between 2 and 4 pCi/L. Test your home; many homes here exceed 4 pCi/L.
Radon is a colorless, odorless radioactive gas from soil and rock, and the leading cause of lung cancer among non-smokers. EPA recommends fixing a home at 4 pCi/L or above and considering it from 2 pCi/L. A short-term test kit costs about $15–30. How radon zones work →
Superfund sites nearby
| Site | Status | Distance |
|---|---|---|
| Allied Plating, Inc. Portland, Oregon · EPA ID ORD009051442 | Cleaned up & deleted | 4.2 mi |
| Gould, Inc. Portland, Oregon · EPA ID ORD095003687 | Cleaned up & deleted | 4.7 mi |
| McCormick & Baxter Creosoting Co. (Portland Plant) Portland, Oregon · EPA ID ORD009020603 | Active (final NPL) | 4.9 mi |
| Harbor Oil Portland, Oregon · EPA ID ORD071803985 | Cleaned up & deleted | 5.8 mi |
| Frontier Hard Chrome, Inc. Vancouver, Washington · EPA ID WAD053614988 | Cleaned up & deleted | 6.9 mi |
| Vancouver Water Station #4 Contamination Vancouver, Washington · EPA ID WAD988475158 | Cleaned up & deleted | 7.1 mi |
| Vancouver Water Station #1 Contamination Vancouver, Washington · EPA ID WAD988519708 | Cleaned up & deleted | 8.1 mi |
| Portland Harbor Portland, Oregon · EPA ID ORSFN1002155 | Active (final NPL) | 8.5 mi |
| ALCOA (Vancouver Smelter) Vancouver, Washington · EPA ID WAD009045279 | Cleaned up & deleted | 9.1 mi |
| Northwest Pipe & Casing/Hall Process Co Clackamas, Oregon · EPA ID ORD980988307 | Active (final NPL) | 9.2 mi |
EPA Superfund National Priorities List (NPL): the country’s most serious known hazardous-waste sites, each with an EPA cleanup record (linked). Distance is measured from the ZIP center to the site’s reference point; being near a site does not by itself mean exposure — EPA site pages describe what was found and how it is being cleaned up.
What this is — and isn’t. These are records your water utility and state reported to the EPA, and the EPA’s radon map for your county. They describe the system and the area, not the water from your own tap or the air in your home. For that, read your utility’s annual Consumer Confidence Report and test: lead and radon tests are inexpensive.
Questions about 97256
Who supplies drinking water to ZIP 97256?
Portland Water Bureau (EPA ID OR4100657), a surface water (rivers, lakes) system serving about 666,200 people.
Is there lead in Portland, OR tap water?
The utility’s latest 90th-percentile lead result (Jan 2026) was 5 ppb; EPA’s action level is 15 ppb, falling to 10 ppb from 2027. Lead mostly comes from service lines and home plumbing, so the only way to know your tap is to test it.
Does Portland, OR water have PFAS?
None of the tested PFAS were found above EPA’s reporting limits in 2023–2025.
Has the water system in 97256 had violations?
Health-based violations since 2016: Long Term 2 Enhanced Surface Water Treatment Rule. 1 is still listed as unresolved in EPA records.
Are there Superfund sites near 97256?
The nearest active Superfund site is 4.9 miles away. Sites within 10 miles: Allied Plating, Inc. (4.2 mi, Cleaned up & deleted); Gould, Inc. (4.7 mi, Cleaned up & deleted); McCormick & Baxter Creosoting Co. (Portland Plant) (4.9 mi, Active (final NPL)).
Is radon a problem in Multnomah?
Multnomah is in EPA radon zone 2 (moderate potential). Predicted average indoor radon between 2 and 4 pCi/L. Test your home; many homes here exceed 4 pCi/L.