Carlton’s drinking water supply is conveyed from Panther Creek Reservoir which is approximately 8 miles west of town. The water is treated at the City of Carlton’s Water Treatment Plant located on Panther Creek Road. The water is then gravity fed into two elevated water storage tanks. These tanks provide water pressure to over 5 miles of mains from 4" to 12" in diameter.
The city water tanks and treatment plant are all tied into a single computer monitoring system. This system monitors the water tank levels, flow rates and treatment output. Public Works staff maintains the entire water system including monitoring treatment processes, testing water purity and providing results to state agencies, monitoring tank levels, repairing water mains, repairing and testing water hydrants, and installing and reading water meters.
The Oregon DEQ is actively monitoring drinking water for PFAS contamination. The agency has developed several programs to assess water quality and has prepared an Integrated Report every two years to evaluate waterbody conditions and identify impaired waters requiring Total Maximum Daily Loads (TMDLs). This report is submitted to the EPA and made publicly available through DEQ's website. The Oregon Water Quality Index (OWQI) evaluates water quality at 160 ambient monitoring stations using parameters like temperature, pH, dissolved oxygen, and nutrients. Data from these programs helps track trends and identify areas needing restoration.
For the latest updates on Carlton's PFAS monitoring and treatment system, you can read the most recent report below.