Multnomah County, OR Water Use Rules: Leak Reporting Duty (2026)
Key Facts
- Permit filing window
- 48 hours after emergency repair
- Coverage area
- Dunthorpe Riverdale Service District only
- Who may repair first
- Licensed or certified contractors
- Max civil penalty
- $500 per day of violation
- Not covered
- Portland's own water/sewer system
Summary
In the county's Dunthorpe Riverdale sewerage district, licensed contractors can fix a leaking or broken pipe, sewer, drain or conduit immediately without a permit, but must file for one within 48 hours.
Emergency repairs involving leakage or breakage in any pipe, sewer, drain or conduit, requiring immediate action, may be performed by any person licensed or certified to perform such work, without first obtaining a permit, provided appropriate permit applications, along with payment of prescribed fees are completed within 48 hours, excluding Sundays and holidays. All conditions which may be imposed by the permit, including correction of work already performed, shall be complied with.
Full Breakdown
Multnomah County Code § 27.753(B) lets a licensed or certified contractor perform emergency repairs on a leaking or broken pipe, sewer, drain or conduit right away, without first getting a permit, when immediate action is needed. The property owner or discharger still must file the permit application and pay the prescribed fee within 48 hours, excluding Sundays and holidays, and must comply with any conditions the permit imposes, including correcting work already done. This sewerage subchapter applies only within the Dunthorpe Riverdale Service District No. 1, one of the county's sewerage service districts under ORS 451.485: it is not a countywide water-utility rule, and it does not reach Portland, which runs its own sewer and water bureaus.
Violations & Fines
Missing the 48-hour permit filing after an emergency repair, or ignoring permit conditions, is a sewerage-subchapter violation under § 27.792 subject to a civil penalty of up to $500 per day under § 27.999(B).
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I fix a broken sewer pipe before getting a county permit?
Does this rule apply everywhere in Multnomah County?
What happens if I miss the 48-hour deadline?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Multnomah County
Compare Multnomah County to another location·View the Oregon water use rules overview
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