The City of Bend’s Surface Water Improvement project team will host an open house on September 27, 6-8pm. There will be a brief overview of the project at 6:15pm. The meeting will be at Bend City Hall, Council Chambers, 710 NW Wall St., in Bend.
Community members are invited to stop by to talk to the project team about planned improvements to the pipeline and intake site, water quality treatment plans, the decision to include a hydroelectric facility, and next steps in the project and construction schedule. U.S. Forest Service representatives will be present to provide information about the ongoing environmental assessment process for the project, which will require a Forest Service Special Use Permit. Representatives from the Federal Highway Administration Western Federal Lands Staff will also be available to answer questions about the planned Skyliners Road Improvement Project, which has been scheduled to take place in coordination with the new pipe installation.
Open house materials will be posted on the project website after the meeting for people not able to attend.
About the Project
The Bend Public Works Department is addressing aging infrastructure and new federal requirements to provide continued access to cost effective, clean, and reliable drinking water for Bend residents and businesses now and for the future.
The Surface Water Improvement project will update the City’s Bridge Creek water supply system by:
• Replacing failing water supply pipelines with a new pipeline under existing roadways.
• Providing opportunity for several new fire hydrants along Skyliners Road for fire suppression.
• Adding flow-control features to the new pipeline; minimizing environmental impacts by only diverting water needed for beneficial use by the City of Bend.
• Providing fish screening and passage facilities at the Bridge Creek intake facility site.
• Building a water treatment plant to filter surface water from Bridge Creek and meet new federal drinking water regulations.
• Building a new hydroelectric facility to generate renewable energy.
More information is available on the project website: www.ci.bend.or.us/surfacewater.
