Photo: Cacophony · CC BY-SA 3.0Living in Burns, OR: what to set up and who to call
Burns Water Department reported one health-based violation to EPA in the last five years: a bacteria testing requirement (Revised Total Coliform Rule), beginning Jan 2026. Power in Burns comes from Oregon Trail El Cons Coop, a cooperative utility rather than a private company.
I’m new in town
What to set up in Burns, and who provides it. Tap an answer for the details and where they come from.
Power, water and internet
Who to call to start service at a new address in Burns.
Power comes from Oregon Trail El Cons Coop
Oregon Trail El Cons Coop (Oregon Trail El Cons Coop, Inc), a cooperative utility, serves all of Burns. Its homes paid an average of 11.0¢ per kWh in 2025, about $110 a month (its average across Oregon).
Start or move service: otecc.com · (541) 523-3616
Service territory: HIFLD Electric Retail Service Territories (map dated Aug 2023). Prices and customers: EIA-861, 2025.
Water comes from Burns Water Department
Burns Water Department supplies almost all of Burns. It draws ground water and serves 2,730 people in all.
1 health-based violation reported to EPA in the five years to October 2026: a bacteria testing requirement (Revised Total Coliform Rule), beginning Jan 2026. 78% of the 7,966 systems serving 1,001–3,300 people had none.
The latest lead result on file, the 90th percentile of homes sampled in Jan 2021–Dec 2023, was 1.5 ppb, below the 15 ppb action level that applied. That’s higher than 61% of similar systems’ latest results.
The system’s full record: EPA ECHO report
EPA SDWIS via Envirofacts (violations pulled Oct 9, 2026) and ECHO (lead samples, 2026Q3); service area: EPA Community Water System Service Area Boundaries v3.0 (EPA’s estimate). Violations are counted by the start of their compliance period. OR4100153.
6 home internet providers serve Burns
96% of 1,443 addresses can get 100/20 Mbps; 80% can get fiber.
| Provider | Technology | Addresses | Fastest (Mbps) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Spectrum | Cable, Fiber | 94% | 1,000/35 |
| MiWave | Fiber, Fixed wireless | 88% | 1,000/1,000 |
| CenturyLink | DSL | 72% | 60/5 |
| Verizon | Fixed wireless | 78% | 300/20 |
| T-Mobile | Fixed wireless | 27% | 25/3 |
| CTCTelecom | Fixed wireless | 7% | 100/20 |
FCC National Broadband Map, as of December 2025. Availability as providers report it, not speeds people get.
We don’t have Burns’ trash rules yet
Pickup rules, the dump and recycling in Burns.
Where your child goes to school
Public school districts and the school path by grade.
Burns is in Harney County School District 3.
DSchool gradeSee Schools →U.S. Department of Education, NCES Common Core of Data, 2024–25. Enrollment rules and registration are the district’s.
Town hall and registering to vote
Who to call, and how to register.
Election office: FVAP local election office directory, updated Jun 2025; jurisdictions: EAC EAVS 2024. Registration rules and links: vote.gov, updated Oct 2, 2026.
Burns is in ZIP code 97720
ZIP codes where Burns residents live, with the share of the town in each.
| ZIP | Post office name | Share of Burns | ZIP’s residents in Burns |
|---|---|---|---|
| 97720 | Burns, OR | 100% | 60% |
Census 2020 ZIP Code Tabulation Areas, by census block; post office names: GeoNames (CC BY 4.0). ZIPs created since 2020 are missing.
Getting around, the ER and the library
One line each; the subject pages have the rest.
ER: CMS hospital data. Library: IMLS Public Libraries Survey, FY2024.
Questions about living in Burns
Who supplies Burns’ drinking water, and has it had violations?
Burns Water Department (EPA ID OR4100153). It reported 1 health-based violation to EPA in the five years to October 2026: a bacteria testing requirement (Revised Total Coliform Rule). 78% of systems its size had none. Its latest lead 90th percentile was 1.5 ppb (Jan 2021–Dec 2023), against a 15 ppb action level.
Who provides electricity in Burns?
Oregon Trail El Cons Coop (Oregon Trail El Cons Coop, Inc), a cooperative utility. Its homes paid about 11.0¢ per kWh in 2025 (EIA).
What internet providers serve Burns?
Spectrum, MiWave, CenturyLink, Verizon, T-Mobile, CTCTelecom (FCC, as of December 2025).
What ZIP codes are in Burns?
97720. Census 2020 ZIP Code Tabulation Areas.
What school district is Burns in?
Harney County School District 3.
How do I register to vote in Burns?
In Oregon you can register online until 21 days before Election Day, in person until 21 days before Election Day, or by mail (postmarked 21 days before). Elections here are run by the Harney County Clerk, Elections Office. Check your registration at sos.oregon.gov.
Sources & dates
Every answer above names its source. Here they are with their dates.
- Water: EPA SDWIS (Envirofacts, pulled Oct 9, 2026), ECHO SDWA 2026Q3, EPA CWS Service Area Boundaries v3.0.
- Power: HIFLD Electric Retail Service Territories (map Aug 2023); EIA-861 final 2025.
- Trash: OpenStreetMap, Geofabrik extract of Oct 9, 2026. © OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL).
- ZIP codes: Census 2020 ZCTA relationship files; GeoNames postal codes (CC BY 4.0).
- Schools: NCES Common Core of Data, 2024–25.
- Registration: vote.gov, updated Oct 2, 2026 (read Oct 10, 2026). Official sites and area codes: Wikidata.
- Election office: FVAP local election office directory (fetched Oct 10, 2026; each record dated), EAC EAVS 2024 jurisdictions; registration and lookup links from vote.gov’s state data, checked Oct 10, 2026.
- Internet: FCC National Broadband Map, as of December 2025.