Where does Medford, Oregon get its water from?  Mount McLoughlin provides more than a majestic view for Rogue Valley residents. The 9,500-foot landmark is the water source for 125,000 people in Medford, Central Point, Eagle Point, Jacksonville, Phoenix, Talent, White City and four rural water districts served by the Medford Water Commission. Melting snow filters through the porous lava on the mountain and surfaces at Big Butte Springs near the town of Butte Falls. Is Medford's water safe to drink?

Chromium (hexavalent)

3rd party independent testing found that this utility exceeds health guidelines for this drinking water contaminant. Total Trihalomethanes (TTHMs) are the result of a reaction between the chlorine used for disinfecting tap water and natural organic matter in the water. At elevated levels, TTHMs have been associated with negative health effects such as cancer and adverse reproductive outcomes. Now a study by government and academic researchers adds to previous evidence that dermal absorption and inhalation of TTHMs associated with everyday tap water use can result in significantly higher blood TTHM concentrations than simply drinking the water does. What are the risks of drinking tap water with Total Trihalomethanes (TTHMs)? Cancer. Studies from around the world including the United States & Europe have found that drinking tap water that carries Total Trihalomethanes increases the risk of developing cancer. In animal studies, all trihalomethanes cause liver, kidney and intestinal tumors. Find out more about this contaminant and how to remove it here.

Health risks of Chromium (hexavalent) in excess of the health guidelines

Cancer: The health guideline of 0.8 ppb for trihalomethanes was defined by the California Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment as a draft public health goal, the level of drinking water contaminant that does not pose a significant health risk. This health guideline protects against cancer.