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Dr. Richard Bruno, the Multnomah County Health Officer, shares how the Bull Run Filtration project and high-quality drinking water support public health.
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In 2024, the Water Bureau began building a new filtration facility to help Portland comply with safe drinking water regulations and keep delivering great-tasting, high-quality water for our region. Earlier this month, we sat down with Dr. Richard Bruno, the Multnomah County Health Officer, to talk about why clean, safe drinking water matters for our health and how filtered Bull Run water will help our communities.
"I think this is going to be the best way for Portland to ensure safe drinking for everybody," said Dr. Bruno. "And it's a point of pride for everybody who lives here—whether you're drinking the water or eating the bread or drinking the beer or eating the pho—that you're being exposed to the best possible natural water source here in our region."
As Dr. Bruno describes, filtration will help make Portland's water safer for everyone by:
- Removing Cryptosporidium and other potential disease-causing microorganisms from the Bull Run supply
- Reducing disinfection byproducts (regulated compounds that can cause cancer) by filtering out organic material in the water
- Further reducing lead levels at customer taps
Construction of these water system improvements is in full swing, and the Water Bureau is working to deliver filtered Bull Run water in 2029. Once the new facility is up and running, filtration will provide cleaner, safer water that benefits the health of our communities for generations.
"Over the next 50 to 100 years," said Dr. Bruno, "this filtration system is going to show how important safe drinking water is for public health—how much it helps prevent disease but also how it helps people thrive and stay healthy in their communities."