Orem
Orem, UT water profile — supply sources, drought status, wastewater reuse, and the key water issues facing the city.
orem city water system
surface water (rivers/reservoirs) · local government · PWSID UTAH25020
Below EPA's 15 ppb lead action level at last testing.
Source: EPA Safe Drinking Water Information System (SDWIS) · 2026 Q1
With about 94,457 residents, Orem ranks as the 5th-largest city in Utah and a small but growing city. Water in Orem is sourced chiefly from Colorado River, Great Salt Lake basin, and snowpack, the backbone of Utah's supply.
The defining water pressure here mirrors the state's: colorado river. One of the highest per-capita users in the country and home to the shrinking Great Salt Lake; St. George is building an advanced purification demonstration facility as the Lake Powell Pipeline stalls.
Statewide, Utah recycles about 13% of its wastewater with developing reuse programs. Locally, Orem faces severe to extreme drought conditions.
The Utah state profile covers the regional supply outlook; the issues below detail what's driving Orem's water future.
Utah County water quality
Source: EPA SDWIS · 2026 Q1
At a glance
- Population ~94,457 (5th-largest in Utah)
- Primary sources: Colorado River, Great Salt Lake basin, and snowpack
- Drought: severe to extreme conditions
- State reuse rate: ~13% of wastewater
Statewide drought history
% of Utah in severe+ drought (Extreme (D3) now).
Source: U.S. Drought Monitor
Common questions
Is tap water safe in Orem?
Orem's largest water system, OREM CITY WATER SYSTEM, serves about 98,129 people. EPA records show 0 health-based violation(s) since 2016 and a most-recent 90th-percentile lead level of 2.2 ppb (EPA action level is 15 ppb). Always check your own provider's annual Consumer Confidence Report.
Where does Orem get its water?
OREM CITY WATER SYSTEM draws primarily from surface water (rivers/reservoirs), part of Utah's supply from Colorado River, Great Salt Lake basin, snowpack.
Related water issues
Colorado River
The river that supplies 40 million people has lost roughly a fifth of its flow since 2000, forcing a renegotiation of how seven states share the water.
ExploreDrought
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.
ExplorePotable Reuse
Advanced purification turns treated wastewater into water that meets or exceeds drinking-water standards — increasingly essential in water-stressed regions.
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.
Explore