Sandy Water Hardness & Quality Report (2026)

The City of Sandy, Oregon provides water service to residents in Clackamas County, roughly 30 miles east of Portland. Its water comes from a mix of sources, including the Sandy River, local groundwater springs, and creeks. The utility supplements its local supply by purchasing 33–50% of its water from Portland's system. Sandy's water treatment facility ensures the supply consistently surpasses EPA quality standards. The Sandy River watershed, which feeds the supply, drains the western Cascade Range.

This region's geology features extensive Quaternary volcanic deposits and alluvial materials atop older Tertiary basalts and andesites, characteristic of the Cascade volcanic arc. The Sandy River itself is fed by glacial melt and groundwater from volcanic aquifers. This combination of surface water and groundwater, influenced by the area's volcanic bedrock, results in a water chemistry typical of the Pacific Northwest. The mineral content can vary depending on how the water interacts with the basaltic formations.

While the city's water quality report for 2026, obtained via TapWaterData, earned an 'A' grade with a score of 90/100, indicating it meets all health guidelines, residents might notice its effects on household items. Without an official hardness measurement, it's difficult to predict the exact impact on appliances and pipes. For detailed hardness data and historical testing records dating back to 1981, the City of Sandy Water Department or the Oregon Health Authority's Drinking Water Program database (ID: 00789) are good resources. The city has reported trace levels of copper, manganese, fluoride, HAA5, and TTHM, which are common in chlorinated surface water systems, and noted past violations for HAA5 in 2018.