Bull Run water deemed safe to drink â€" mostly

The Bull Run reservoir holds the drinking water supply for Portland and several suburbs. Bull Run water is considered relatively pristine, but has been found repeatedly this year to contain cryptosporidium, a potentially harmful parasite.

State and local health authorities want those who drink Bull Run water to believe that it is safe, despite the previously discovered presence of a parasite that has alarmed the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency when found in other supply systems.

At the same time, Dr. Paul Cieslak, the Oregon Health Authority's medical director of communicable diseases, cannot guarantee no one will ever get sick from drinking it.