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In 2025, the Portland Water Bureau won a Drinking Water Source Protection Award from the State of Oregon. While it’s no skeleton (yes, that’s a real Olympic event), we’d argue that source water protection is as hard as any Olympic event. Don’t believe us? We brought receipts.
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The 2026 Winter Olympics are in full swing . You might be wondering, "What is giant slalom?" or "Whose idea was biathlon?" But what you should really be asking is "Do they have a Drinking Water Source Protection Award?"
We do.
In 2025, the Portland Water Bureau won a Drinking Water Source Protection Award from the State of Oregon. This award recognizes our excellence in protecting Portland's two drinking water sources, the Bull Run Watershed and the Columbia South Shore Well Field. Our strong programs and policies protect each water source from potential contamination. By protecting our water sources, we protect public health and water quality.
Sure, it's no figure skating. But just because you haven't heard of it, doesn't mean it's not Olympics-worthy. (Plus, let's be honest, you've never heard of dual moguls either.)
Here are five reasons our source water protection work is basically the same as an Olympic event.
We've been doing it for longer than the Olympics have been around
While the Olympics may seem ancient, Bull Run Watershed protection is older. Okay, it's not older than the ancient version of the Olympics, but we beat the modern version by a couple years.
- 1892: President Benjamin Harrison protected the watershed as a national forest reserve. (Forest reserves were later renamed to national forests.)
- 1895: We began serving Bull Run water to Portlanders.
- 1896: The first modern Olympic games took place in Athens.
- 1904: President Theodore Roosevelt signed the Bull Run Trespass Act. This law restricted access and prohibited grazing in the watershed.
By the time of the first Winter Olympics in 1924, we'd been protecting the Bull Run Watershed for over 30 years!
The Olympics look a little different today, and so does our source water protection. The watershed is now protected by even stricter federal, state, and local laws. These laws make safe, clean drinking water the top priority in the watershed.
Like the addition of skimo at this year's Olympics, we've also added in some new events over the years. We first served groundwater in 1985. In 1987, we adopted the first version of our groundwater protection program.
Our current work to protect our water sources builds on this history. If that doesn't say "Olympics," we don't know what does.
It's hard to get in
The Olympics are famously competitive. Athletes train for years hoping to snag a coveted competition spot.
Technically, the Drinking Water Source Protection Award isn't a competitive award. But our award-winning work does make it hard to get in—into our water sources, that is.
Remember all those laws that protect the Bull Run Watershed? Well, those rules prohibit most access to the watershed. People aren't allowed inside unless they are on official Water Bureau or United States Forest Service business. That means no logging, no agriculture, no fishing, no development, and no recreation.
If you want to visit, you have to join a guided public tour. Just like the Olympics, spots are limited. You can sign up here to get an email when we release tour dates each summer. (No athletic talent required.)
When it comes to our groundwater source, anyone can stand on top of it, but good luck trying to get inside. Our drinking water aquifers are 100 to 600 feet underground. Layers of silt and clay protect them from urban pollutants and contamination.
Substances are highly regulated
The Olympics have high standards and expectations for their athletes. Performance-enhancing drugs aren't allowed, and athletes are tested regularly to make sure they're following the rules.
Similarly, we regulate chemicals to protect the Columbia South Shore Well Field. We work with businesses in the wellhead protection area to make sure they store and transport chemicals safely. This ensures that hazardous chemicals won't impact our groundwater source. We also educate residents about how they can help protect our groundwater.
And, just like the Olympics, we follow up with monitoring and testing. Businesses in the wellhead protection area must train their employees and submit reports to us each year. We also regularly test water from drinking water wells and monitoring wells. Our testing tells us these programs are working! Portland's groundwater supply meets all safe drinking water quality standards.
It's a collaborative effort
You know the saying: Behind every great Olympic athlete is a great team of coaches, trainers, and waterboys. Okay, maybe that's not a saying, but it probably should be.
You could say the same about source water protection work. It's a team sport, and we work with other organizations and agencies to perform at our best.
The US Forest Service owns most of the land in the Bull Run Watershed. We work closely with them to manage and protect the watershed. For example, when we replace an old stream culvert with a flood resilient one, the Forest Service handles the regulatory permitting. Nothing says best friends forever like doing paperwork for each other! Forest Service staff are also ready to respond faster than a speed skater if wildfire threatens the watershed.
When it comes to the well field, we partner with the cities of Gresham and Fairview on our groundwater protection program. Underground aquifers are large and don't stop at city lines. By collaborating, we can better protect Portland's groundwater source from contamination. We also work with the Columbia Slough Watershed Council and the Columbia Corridor Association to educate residents and businesses about groundwater.
It's worth celebrating
We all know an Olympic gold medal is an accomplishment to celebrate. And we think a Drinking Water Source Protection Award is worth just as much.
Portland is fortunate to have two high-quality drinking water sources. We take our responsibility to protect those sources seriously. It's the foundation of our work to serve excellent water to our community.
Our staff make this work possible. Like Olympic athletes, they are highly skilled, trained, and dedicated to their craft. Since we don't have enough gold medals to go around, we'll make do with this fancy certificate. At least until the International Olympic Committee finally adds a source water protection event. When they do, our teams will bring home the Olympic gold for real.
Learn more about how we're keeping our drinking water safe and abundant for generations to come
Learn about the Bull Run Watershed and how it's protected.
Learn more about our groundwater, the groundwater protection program, and how you can help.
Our work to secure Portland's water future doesn't stop at protecting our water sources. We're also building a new filtration facility to ensure clean, safe drinking water is available for Portlanders and communities throughout the region. Learn more about the Filtration Project and how it will make our water system more resilient.