Albany
Albany, OR water profile — supply sources, drought status, wastewater reuse, and the key water issues facing the city.
albany, city of
surface water (rivers/reservoirs) · local government · PWSID OR4100012
Below EPA's 15 ppb lead action level at last testing.
Source: EPA Safe Drinking Water Information System (SDWIS) · 2026 Q1
Albany, OR is a small but growing city, with a population near 52,175 and the 11th-largest community in Oregon. Like much of Oregon, Albany draws its water primarily from Cascade snowpack, Willamette River, Columbia River, and groundwater.
Albany's water outlook is shaped most by drought — the issue that dominates planning across Oregon. The wet west and arid east create a split state; the Klamath Basin is a flashpoint for water allocation.
Albany sits in a state that reuses roughly 12% of treated wastewater (developing programs) and currently experiences severe to extreme drought.
For the bigger picture, see the Oregon state water profile and the related issues below.
Linn County water quality
Source: EPA SDWIS · 2026 Q1
At a glance
- Population ~52,175 (11th-largest in Oregon)
- Primary sources: Cascade snowpack, Willamette River, Columbia River, and groundwater
- Drought: severe to extreme conditions
- State reuse rate: ~12% of wastewater
Statewide drought history
% of Oregon in severe+ drought (Extreme (D3) now).
Source: U.S. Drought Monitor
Common questions
Is tap water safe in Albany?
Albany's largest water system, ALBANY, CITY OF, serves about 57,997 people. EPA records show 0 health-based violation(s) since 2016 and a most-recent 90th-percentile lead level of 0 ppb (EPA action level is 15 ppb). Always check your own provider's annual Consumer Confidence Report.
Where does Albany get its water?
ALBANY, CITY OF draws primarily from surface water (rivers/reservoirs), part of Oregon's supply from Cascade snowpack, Willamette River, Columbia River.
Related water issues
Drought
Much of the American West is in a multi-decade dry period that researchers describe as the most severe in over a millennium, reshaping how communities plan for water.
ExploreGroundwater Depletion
Aquifers from the Central Valley to the Ogallala are being pumped faster than they recharge, causing land subsidence and threatening long-term supply.
ExplorePotable Reuse
Advanced purification turns treated wastewater into water that meets or exceeds drinking-water standards — increasingly essential in water-stressed regions.
Explore