Following the January 4 Council meeting, the Councilors sent a letter to the State of Oregon requesting a delayed implementation of new federal water treatment regulations. A new compliance schedule would postpone construction of the water treatment plant component of Bend’s Surface Water Improvement Project and spread out project costs, reducing the burden on rate payers.
The City seeks to delay compliance for several years so that it can construct a pipeline associated with the project before the water treatment facility. Under the adjusted schedule, design of the water treatment facility would continue so that the project would be “shovel ready” by the new compliance date. The adjusted schedule also would allow water rates to increase at a slower pace over a longer period of time to pay for the project.
The Oregon Health Authority is the state agency responsible for enforcing the Environmental Protection Agency’s Long Term 2 (LT2) Enhanced Surface Water Treatment Rule to filter surface water for cryptosporidium, a microbe that can make people sick.
The letter sent to OHA outlined the City’s economic troubles and the negative impact that increased water rates would have on its citizens at this time. As the recession hit, Bend’s reliance on two volatile industries – real estate/development and tourism – made it especially susceptible to high levels of unemployment, foreclosures, and poverty.
The letter follows recent discussions with the Oregon Drinking Water Program, regarding whether Bend could qualify for a variance to the LT2 Rule as Portland did last December. Bend would not likely qualify for a variance because, unlike Portland, Bend has detected cryptosporidium in its surface water source, Bridge Creek, at levels higher than the EPA would allow seven times since testing began in 2005. The Bridge Creek watershed also is open and accessible to the public and at risk of wildfire, both of which increase the likelihood of water contamination without a treatment plant.
The City’s plans to replace failing water pipelines would not be impacted by a compliance delay, if granted. The new pipeline will be installed beneath Skyliners Road before planned road reconstruction in 2013. If the pipeline is not installed before road reconstruction, current County code would require the City to wait five years before the new pavement could be cut. This would add to the project’s cost and risk failure of the old pipelines.
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.bendoregon.gov/surfacewater.
