Photo: Jsayre64 · Public domainLiving in Melrose, OR: what to set up and who to call
Melrose has no town government of its own, so Douglas County runs its elections and most services, and its children attend Douglas County SD 4. Umpqua Basin Water Assoc reported one health-based violation to EPA in the last five years: a lead and copper treatment requirement (Lead and Copper Rule), beginning Apr 2024.
I’m new in town
What to set up in Melrose, 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 Melrose.
Power comes from Douglas Electric Coop
Douglas Electric Coop (Douglas Electric Coop - (OR)), a cooperative utility, serves 65.5% of Melrose residents.
Start or move service: douglaselectric.com · (541) 673-6616
Service territory: HIFLD Electric Retail Service Territories (map dated Aug 2023). Prices and customers: EIA-861, 2025.
Water comes from Umpqua Basin Water Assoc
Umpqua Basin Water Assoc supplies Melrose: about 82% of residents live in its service area. About 18% of homes are outside any mapped community water system, most likely on private wells, which EPA doesn’t regulate. It draws surface water and serves 9,499 people in all.
1 health-based violation reported to EPA in the five years to October 2026: a lead and copper treatment requirement (Lead and Copper Rule), beginning Apr 2024. 80% of the 5,012 systems serving 3,301–10,000 people had none.
The latest lead result on file, the 90th percentile of homes sampled in Jan–Dec 2026, was 3.0 ppb, below the 15 ppb action level that applied. The highest in five years was 35.0 ppb. That’s higher than 80% 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. OR4100719.
5 home internet providers serve Melrose
100% of 349 addresses can get 100/20 Mbps; 100% can get fiber.
| Provider | Technology | Addresses | Fastest (Mbps) |
|---|---|---|---|
| DFN | Fiber | 99% | 1,000/1,000 |
| Verizon | Fixed wireless | 97% | 300/20 |
| Umpqua Broadband | Fixed wireless | 96% | 25/5 |
| T-Mobile | Fixed wireless | 80% | 100/20 |
| AT&T | Fixed wireless | 14% | 25/3 |
FCC National Broadband Map, as of December 2025. Availability as providers report it, not speeds people get.
We don’t have Melrose’s trash rules yet
Pickup rules, the dump and recycling in Melrose.
Where your child goes to school
Public school districts and the school path by grade.
Melrose is in Douglas County SD 4.
Test scores and every school: see Schools →U.S. Department of Education, NCES Common Core of Data, 2024–25. Enrollment rules and registration are the district’s.
No town hall: the county runs things
Melrose is unincorporated, so Douglas County is the local government.
Election office: FVAP local election office directory, updated Jun 2025; jurisdictions: EAC EAVS 2024. Registration rules and links: vote.gov, updated Oct 2, 2026.
Melrose is in ZIP code 97471
ZIP codes where Melrose residents live, with the share of the town in each.
| ZIP | Post office name | Share of Melrose | ZIP’s residents in Melrose |
|---|---|---|---|
| 97471 | Roseburg, OR | 100% | 3% |
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 Melrose
Who supplies Melrose’s drinking water, and has it had violations?
Umpqua Basin Water Assoc (EPA ID OR4100719). It reported 1 health-based violation to EPA in the five years to October 2026: a lead and copper treatment requirement (Lead and Copper Rule). 80% of systems its size had none. Its latest lead 90th percentile was 3.0 ppb (Jan–Dec 2026), against a 15 ppb action level.
Who provides electricity in Melrose?
Douglas Electric Coop (Douglas Electric Coop - (OR)), a cooperative utility.
What internet providers serve Melrose?
DFN, Verizon, Umpqua Broadband, T-Mobile, AT&T (FCC, as of December 2025).
What ZIP codes are in Melrose?
97471. Census 2020 ZIP Code Tabulation Areas.
What school district is Melrose in?
Douglas County SD 4.
How do I register to vote in Melrose?
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 Douglas 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.