• The Indian Health Service tested water quality to inform design of a new treatment facility for Confederated Tribes of Warm Springs’ drinking water supply
• Report finds high clarity, low turbidity, and no “forever chemicals” in water downstream from the Reregulating Dam
• Findings ensure Warm Springs Tribes can design new water treatment facility within existing budget
Yesterday, the Confederated Tribes of the Warm Springs Reservation of Oregon (Warm Springs Tribes) share the results of a new report that tested comprehensive water quality on the lower Deschutes River. Repeated water sampling consistently showed that:
- Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances — also known as PFAS, or “forever chemicals” — were not present in the Deschutes River water source
- 6PPD-Quinone, a tire rubber-derived organic chemical that the EPA notes is toxic to fish, was also not detected
- The water source has low turbidity and high clarity, which correlates with fish health, and is easy to treat for all other water quality conditions under EPA regulations.
Xuehua Bai, Principal of Bai Engineers who conducted the study and prepared the report on behalf of Indian Health Services (IHS), noted during a presentation to Warm Springs Tribal Council that the water quality rivals some of the best in the nation.
The water testing serves to inform Warm Springs Tribal Council’s evaluation of the design of a new treatment facility for the community drinking water supply.
With evidence of such high-quality source water, Tribal Council was able to select a design for the new facility that is unlikely to require additional treatment components. As such, the project cost is estimated to be within existing available funding sources from the IHS and the EPA that are earmarked specifically for this project.
As Warm Springs Tribes plan a new water treatment facility for the future, they are also rehabilitating the current treatment facility for the present. The current rehabilitation will install more modern technology to ensure that drinking water can continue to be safe until the new facility is complete.
This report speaks to the progress that Warm Springs Tribes, in collaboration with so many others, continue to make in improving overall water quality on the lower Deschutes River.
Warm Springs Tribes have been engaged in restoration efforts on the Deschutes River for decades, not only to ensure clean, safe drinking water for the Reservation but also to improve fishery health. The report’s findings are positive signs for both objectives, as the lack of PFAS points to clean drinking water, the absence of 6PPD-Quinone supports fish health, and the water’s low turbidity and high clarity also correlates with fish health.
The IHS tested water quality at Warm Springs Tribes’ Dry Creek Water Treatment Plant, located on the Deschutes River at River Mile 95, downstream from the Pelton Round Butte hydroelectric project’s Reregulating Dam.
The IHS’ two most recent comprehensive raw water sample collections and analyses occurred December 17, 2023 and May 29, 2024. Results were presented to the Warm Springs Tribal Council on July 16, 2024.
The design process for the new water treatment plant is ongoing. It is expected to be 30 percent complete by the end of September 2024.
“Water is the first of the gifts that the Creator gave us, and it is our life’s work to protect and restore this sacred natural resource,” said Jonathan W. Smith, Sr., chairman, Tribal Council for the Confederated Tribes of the Warm Springs Reservation of Oregon. “We’re pleased by moments that affirm the effectiveness of our traditional and scientific approach to resource management. Our Tribal Council has also expressed collective relief that we can proceed with building our new water treatment plant within the planned budget.”
The Confederated Tribes of the Warm Springs Reservation of Oregon is a federally-recognized, sovereign Indian tribe occupying the Warm Springs Reservation, which was reserved for its exclusive benefit by an 1855 Treaty with the United States. The Reservation stretches from the summit of the Cascade Mountains to the cliffs of the Deschutes River in Central Oregon.
