You probably know that Portland has some of the best drinking water around. But did you know that our staff take great care to keep it safe on the journey to your tap?
Maintaining water quality starts with protecting our water sources and treating our water. To make sure our treatment and system are working, we test your water every step of the way. That’s where our water quality sampling stations come in.
Our sampling stations are unassuming green boxes with a water faucet inside. We have 102 active sampling stations located across our entire in-town water system. Our team of dedicated sampling staff visit 15–17 stations a day, four days a week, all year round.
But you don’t have to be part of our water quality sampling crew to appreciate our sampling stations. Here are five reasons you should swipe right on water quality sampling stations.
One: They are proactive about their health
Imagine that you went to the doctor for a full preventative exam at least 26 times a year. For a human, that might be a bit excessive. For a water quality sampling station, it’s just part of their routine.
Our sampling staff visit each station at least once every two weeks. While there, they collect data on the water using high-tech equipment. (Don’t get between our sampling staff and their Hach SL1000 Portable Parallel Analyzers, okay?)
At each station, water quality staff measure the water’s temperature, chlorine level, and pH. Staff also measure turbidity (how cloudy the water is) and conductivity (which tells us the amount of minerals dissolved in the water).
This information helps us monitor how our water system is working. For each measurement, we generally expect the results to be within a certain range. If results are different than we expect, it doesn’t necessarily mean the water quality is poor. There are many reasons why results could be different than usual.
For example, imagine you’re running so late to your annual physical that you have to run to make it. Your blood pressure and heart rate might be higher than normal when the nurse takes your vitals. But that doesn’t mean there’s something wrong with your health—just that you need to get a watch.
If a station’s test results are off, then our water quality staff investigate to figure out why. If needed, we can take steps to move fresher water into the area.
In addition to the field tests, sampling staff also collect one water sample from each station. Then, our lab staff test the water sample for bacteria.
We treat our water with chlorine to control bacteria. Testing the water for bacteria helps us track the quality of the water as it travels to your tap. We’re required to collect at least 240 of these samples each month.
Before you break out the calculator, that adds up to nearly 3,000 water samples each year. That’s basically the same as a person taking eight strep tests each day for an entire year! What more could you want from a potential partner?
Two: No need for long-distance relationships—they’re always nearby
You don’t need to travel far to meet up with one of our 102 active stations. (If those don’t give you enough options, we also maintain around 90 other stations that we use for other water testing programs.)
We have sampling stations all over the city—from the central city to the far edges of each quadrant. We choose their locations to make sure we are regularly testing the water in all areas of our system.
We also have sampling stations close to places like hospitals and schools. These kinds of sites are more sensitive to changes in water quality. We visit the nearby sampling stations every week so we can respond quickly to any issues.
If the easy commute doesn’t convince you to swipe right, consider this: We’ve also got your favorite date spots covered. Looking for a trip to the zoo or Providence Park Stadium? There’s a water quality sampling station for that too.
Three: They know the best date spots
Speaking of good date spots, Powell Butte Nature Park has more than just the best views around. It’s also home to two underground drinking water reservoirs—and two water quality sampling stations.
After it’s treated, our water flows to the Powell Butte reservoirs. These reservoirs are the hub of our in-town water system. Almost all water passes through them before reaching your tap. Because Powell Butte plays such an important role in our system, we pay special attention to it.
We test the water at one of the Powell Butte stations every sampling day. That’s four days a week, every week. That’s like getting 208 physicals in a year.
Four: They love animals
Unlikely animal friendships are classic internet fodder. But don’t sleep on water quality sampling station–animal friendships.
To be fair, these friendships are less like BFFs and more like that one “friend” from high school you only see once every five years. But our short sampling stations seem to make convenient shelters for small critters from time to time. Our sampling staff tell stories of finding snakes, frogs, ladybugs, and ant colonies hanging out inside them. Our sampling stations may try to invite their animal friends over, but they don’t get to stay long. And, luckily, we don’t find critters visiting our stations very often.
While these friendships may be cute, they can also be a challenge for our sampling staff. Unlike a laboratory, the field isn’t a sterile testing environment. The good news is that any creatures we do find can’t get in the water. Plus, before testing the water, our sampling staff use blowtorches to sanitize the tap the water comes out of. Turns out, blowtorches aren’t just useful for getting the perfect crust on your crème brûlée. They’re also an essential tool for water quality sampling.
Our sampling staff skillfully manage environmental factors that could influence test results. The weather, cute critters, and even other people all have the potential to disrupt their work.
So, if you see one of our sampling staff at work, feel free to stop and ask them questions—but be sure to give them plenty of space. And try not to let your dogs pee on the stations, okay?
Five: They can rock a summer glow-up
Our water quality sampling stations are a big part of how we protect public health. Our sampling staff do more than visit these stations to test the water. They also take care of the stations themselves.
Every year, in the spring or summer, we give each active sampling station a full makeover. Our sampling staff give the stations a thorough check to make sure everything is in good condition. They clean the stations, remove any graffiti, and fix any broken parts. By maintaining our stations, we ensure our tests are high quality.
We also have back-up sampling stations located near each active sampling station. We use back-up stations to help us investigate potential issues if test results are off at a regular sampling station. Each year, we also inspect and test these to make sure they are working if we need them.
But just because we clean them doesn’t mean you should graffiti them—so lay off the spray paint, okay? And if you see a damaged water quality sampling station, please report it to our Water Quality Line so we can give it a little TLC.