Water Service Outages

Orem, Utah Water Outage Today

Live Orem water outage reports, City of Orem Water’s emergency line and the system’s federal record.

Weather data by Open-Meteo.com

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No water outage reports in Orem, Utah in the last 24 hours

Who supplies water in Orem?

Drinking water in Orem, Utah is supplied by City of Orem Water, which handles outages, main breaks and boil water notices for the city.

Public water systems in Utah are regulated by the Utah Division of Drinking Water.

To report no water or a main break, call City of Orem Water at 801-229-7070.

Orem tap water system, by the numbers

The system behind most taps in Orem is Orem City Water System, which EPA records list as serving roughly 98,129 people. Customers know it as City of Orem Water; the name on your bill is the one to call.

Orem water system at a glance
ItemDetail
Water system in EPA recordsOrem City Water System (UTAH25020)
Run byLocal government
People served98,129 through 23,015 service connections
Source of the waterPurchased surface water
Active facilities listed by EPA8 active wells, 9 treatment points, 6 storage tanks and reservoirs, 4 pump facilities
Connections to other systems1
State regulatorUtah Division of Drinking Water
Health-based violations since 20150
Highest lead result (90th percentile)2.4 ppb, action level 15 ppb

Source: EPA SDWIS (Safe Drinking Water Information System).

Source water and treatment in Orem

Orem does not collect its own raw water. Orem City Water System buys surface water from Central Utah Wcd - Utah Valley and distributes it through its own mains. After treatment the water is held in 6 storage tanks and reservoirs and pushed uphill by 4 pump facilities; that storage is the buffer that keeps taps running for a few hours after a pump or main fails.

The outage angle. Because the water arrives from Central Utah Wcd - Utah Valley, a break on that supplier's transmission main or a plant shutdown upstream can leave Orem without water even when the local pipes are sound. Watch the supplier's alerts as well as City of Orem Water.

Why the water goes out in Orem

These are the causes that match the record for Orem, listed roughly in order of how much they matter here.

  • Freezing weather. Orem sees about 135 days a year with a low at or below 32°F, and 47 days at or below 20°F. The coldest morning in the 2015 through 2025 record came on January 1, 2016. The longest stretch with highs that never rose above freezing ran 12 days, ending January 2, 2016. Frozen service lines and meters cause single-address outages, while ground frost and thaw cycles crack older mains and produce the street-wide breaks.
  • Long dry spells. The longest stretch without measurable rain since 2015 lasted 37 days, ending September 30, 2018. Dry soil shrinks and shifts around buried pipe, and breaks often cluster when the rain returns and the ground swells again.
  • Younger pipe, different risks. Only 15.5% of occupied homes in Orem predate 1970 (US 35.5%), so more of the network is newer plastic or ductile iron. Breaks tend to come from construction damage, pressure surges and weather rather than age.
  • Flooding and heavy rain. NOAA logged 20 flood, flash flood and heavy rain reports in Utah County from 2015 through 2026. High water can wash out the ground under buried pipe, flood pump stations and push treatment plants past their limits, which is why boil notices so often follow a flood.
  • Storm-driven power loss. Thunderstorm wind, hail and tornado reports in Utah County number 91 since 2015. Pump stations and treatment plants that depend on Rocky Mountain Power run on the electric grid, so a storm that downs power lines can lower water pressure even when no pipe is damaged.
  • Construction and third-party damage. A backhoe or boring crew that hits a main is among the most common reasons a single block goes dry without warning. Utilities handle those the same way as any break: isolate, repair, flush.

How weather strains the Orem water system

Main break season in Orem runs from late fall into early spring, with the coldest stretch around December through February.

Orem weather that stresses the water system, 2015–2025
MeasureValue
Days a year at or below 32°F134.7
Days a year at or below 20°F46.9
Days a year with a high at or below 32°F28.7
Days a year at or above 95°F8.6
Days a year at or above 100°F0
Days a year with an inch of rain or more0.3
Average annual precipitation20.2 in
Wettest year2019 (25.6 in)
Driest year2020 (11.6 in)
Coldest day in the recordJanuary 1, 2016
Hottest day in the recordAugust 2, 2020

Source: NASA POWER daily reanalysis (MERRA-2) for the city center, 2015–2025.

Freezing days by month in Orem (average per year)
Jan: 30.430.4JanFeb: 23.723.7FebMar: 19.319.3MarApr: 9.29.2AprMay: 1.21.2MayJun: 00JunJul: 00JulAug: 00AugSep: 00SepOct: 4.84.8OctNov: 17.917.9NovDec: 28.328.3Dec

Freezing days peak in January, averaging 30.4 a year. Source: NASA POWER reanalysis, 2015–2025.

Precipitation by year in Orem (inches)
2015: 22.922.920152016: 19.919.920162017: 21.621.620172018: 17.517.520182019: 25.625.620192020: 11.611.620202021: 21.321.320212022: 17.717.720222023: 22.122.120232024: 23.323.320242025: 18.518.52025

The wettest year was 2019 with 25.6 inches; the driest was 2020 with 11.6. Source: NASA POWER reanalysis, 2015–2025.

Because this is gridded reanalysis data, individual hot and cold days can read a few degrees off what the airport recorded. The day counts and yearly patterns are the useful part.

Orem boil water notices and EPA compliance record

EPA lists no health-based violations for Orem City Water System since 2015. It also lists 22 monitoring or reporting entries that are about paperwork rather than water quality, such as a missed sample or a late report.

Most recent entries, all monitoring or reporting:

  • July 2024: A late or missing annual water quality report It is marked resolved.
  • January 2020: A missed or late monitoring or reporting requirement (chemical and radiological contaminants) It is marked resolved.
Orem City Water System EPA violations since 2015, by rule
Type of violationHealth-basedMonitoring and other
Chemical and radiological contaminants021
Public notice and annual reports01

Source: EPA SDWIS.

EPA violations by year, Orem City Water System
2015: 002015: 020152016: 002016: 020162017: 002017: 020172018: 002018: 020182019: 002019: 020192020: 21212020: 020202021: 002021: 020212022: 002022: 020222023: 002023: 020232024: 112024: 020242025: 002025: 02025

Monitoring and other Health-based

Violations are counted by the year the compliance period began. Source: EPA SDWIS.

A boil water notice in Orem is a separate thing from a violation. City of Orem Water issues one when pressure falls low enough for contamination to enter the pipes, after a main break is repaired, or when a routine test comes back positive. The Utah Division of Drinking Water oversees the process, and the notice stays until clean samples come back, usually a day or two after pressure returns.

Lead service lines and old plumbing in Orem

The most recent 90th-percentile lead result filed for Orem City Water System is 2.2 ppb (2024). The federal action level is 15 ppb, so that result is comfortably below it.

Lead at the 90th-percentile home, Orem City Water System
2018: 2.22.220182021: 2.42.420212024: 2.22.22024Action level 15 ppb

Highest result on file: 2.4 ppb. Source: EPA SDWIS.

The age of the housing matters more than the utility's test average: 15.5% of occupied homes in Orem predate 1970 and 1986 was the year lead pipe and solder were banned. Flush the cold tap after an outage and ask City of Orem Water whether your service line is on its lead inventory.

When will the water come back on in Orem?

Most repairs of an ordinary main break in Orem take half a day once the crew is on site. Bigger mains, deep bury and busy roads stretch that to a day or more.

Typical water outage durations
SituationTypical time
Planned shutoffTime window posted ahead; water often returns early
Ordinary main breakHalf a day once the crew has isolated the pipe
Large or deep mainOne to three days, longer if parts must be ordered
Low pressure after a pump or power failureAs long as the outage itself, plus a few hours to refill tanks
Boil water notice after service returnsAbout 24 to 48 hours, until lab tests are clean
Frozen service line or meterUntil it thaws or a plumber repairs it

Source: Utility practice, EPA and state boil water guidance.

Ask City of Orem Water for a restoration estimate when you report the outage; for large breaks it is normally posted and updated as the repair progresses.

Preparing for a long water outage in Orem

The average household in Orem has about 3.1 people, so FEMA's minimum of one gallon per person per day comes to roughly 9 gallons for three days and 43 gallons for two weeks.

  • Do not forget the water heater: the tank holds roughly 30 to 50 gallons you can drink after it is switched off and allowed to cool.
  • If a planned shutoff or storm is coming, fill the tub and some buckets for flushing toilets and washing; keep drinking water in clean sealed containers.

Water systems near Orem, side by side

Nearby water systems compared
CitySystemPeople servedSourceHealth violations since 2015Highest lead (ppb)
Orem, UTOrem City Water System98,129Bought (surface)02.4
Provo, UTProvo City116,288Bought (surface)05.5
West Jordan, UTWest Jordan City Water System117,025Bought (surface)14.1
Salt Lake City, UTSalt Lake City Water System383,612Surface14.5
Idaho Falls, IDCity of Idaho Falls69,450Ground05

Source: EPA SDWIS.

Water outage pages for nearby cities

Provo, UT · West Jordan, UT · Salt Lake City, UT · Idaho Falls, ID

Where to find official Orem water notices

Official word on main breaks, planned shutoffs and boil advisories comes from City of Orem Water, not from this page. Our water outage guide explains what each kind of notice asks you to do.

Orem frequently asked water questions

Who do I call about no water in Orem?

City of Orem Water at 801-229-7070, day or night. Use 911 only if a main break is flooding property or roads.

What is the source of Orem tap water?

Per EPA, the water system for Orem (Orem City Water System) is classed as purchased surface water. It buys from Central Utah Wcd - Utah Valley.

Can you drink the tap water in Orem?

EPA lists no health-based violations for Orem City Water System since 2015, and its latest 90th-percentile lead result is 2.2 ppb against the 15 ppb action level. If the utility issues a boil notice, boil water until it announces the all-clear.

What time of year are Orem water main breaks most common?

Breaks in Orem pile up in the cold, with about 135 freezing days a year and the worst stretch from December to February. The days right after a deep freeze, when the soil thaws and shifts, are usually the busiest.

What causes low water pressure in Orem?

A sudden drop usually means a break or valve problem nearby, while a slow decline in the evening points to demand. If the whole street is affected, tell City of Orem Water; if not, look at your own regulator and shutoff.

When will a boil water notice be lifted in Orem?

Typically a day or two. Bacteria tests take about 24 hours, so City of Orem Water cannot end a notice until clean samples come back; the Utah Division of Drinking Water sets the rules for that process.

How much drinking water should I keep at home in Orem?

One gallon per person per day is the FEMA minimum. For Orem that means about 9 gallons to cover three days for an average household of 3.1, and 43 gallons for two weeks.

Does Orem have lead pipes?

15.5% of occupied homes in Orem were built before 1970, and lead service lines were not banned until 1986. Ask City of Orem Water whether your service line is on its lead inventory, and use a filter certified for lead if you are unsure.

Is there a water outage map for Orem?

This page shows resident reports from Orem for the last 24 hours. For a street-by-street picture, use the alerts and outage page of City of Orem Water; many utilities also text boil notices.

More outage pages for Orem and nearby

Other outage types in Orem

Water Service Outages in cities near Orem

Report counts are user-submitted; other figures name their official source. How our data works