Second source from Willamette River

Eugene Water & Electric Board CEO Frank Lawson's guest view on Sunday failed to address many important questions. Eugene's water supply is highly vulnerable to disruption during an earthquake, fire or other disaster because it relies on a single intake point on the McKenzie River. 

In September 2020, the Holiday Farm Fire came within a few miles of EWEB's filter plant near this intake. Had the fire reached the plant, Eugene's water supply could have been shut off. 

The two new 7.5-million-gallon reservoirs proposed by EWEB on the hill near 40th and Patterson will provide only one additional day of water storage capacity for Eugene based on current usage. More importantly, it will do little to provide true water security for our community in the event of another major forest fire, earthquake or other disaster.  Because our water supply is vulnerable to disruption, developing a second source of water ought to be EWEB's highest priority — even higher than building additional reservoirs.

Four-and-a-half years ago, EWEB proposed building a second plant to filter water from the Willamette River. This plant was to be located in Springfield, not far from where Springfield was planning to build a new filter plant of its own. Since building a plant is costly, EWEB believed that collaborating with the Springfield Utility Board would be the most cost-effective way to proceed with this project. Because, according to EWEB, some SUB staff and board members were not in favor of collaborating, progress stalled.

Surprisingly, SUB general manager Jeff Nelson wrote in a July 29 email to me: “SUB has an existing surface water plant on the Willamette and we suggested that EWEB look at having treatment at that location. SUB has significant property at the Willamette location for treatment expansion.” 

Regardless of who is responsible for the lack of progress over the past five years, Eugene remains with neither a second major water source nor even a schedule for developing one.Now EWEB plans to cut down roughly 300 mature trees, then blast the rock underneath for months to create pads for two new “tanks.” The blasting and other construction work will require 15,000 truck trips on city streets, at a cost first estimated to be $19.9 million, then $12 million, and now $25 million, according to a July 30 KLCC story, paid for by municipal bonds that were approved by the EWEB Board and Eugene City Council. 

Yes, EWEB has had discussions at some of its board meetings, but these were all virtual meetings,and most of the public was unaware of what was being proposed. Not that EWEB wasn't communicating at all, but few people realized the scope of the pending project slated for Summer 2021. And now it's upon us.

Equally important, EWEB did not consider real alternatives to the two-water tank project on the Patterson Hill, such as building only one water tank there and then reconstructing a 15-million-gallon or larger reservoir on College Hill, or two or more 7.5-million-gallon facilities at this site, or at Hawkins Hill or elsewhere. These are important questions that need to be answered before EWEB embarks on this massive project.

Because a secure source of water is crucial to security of our community, I urge Eugene and Springfield city councilors to help work through obstacles to progress on additional water supplies. Eugene city officials, and all EWEB customers, should also demand answers to the questions raised above about the water tank project. 

If no agreement can be reached between EWEB and SUB on a new joint filter plant, EWEB should proceed expeditiously with its own filter plant on the Willamette. The security of our community's water supply is at stake!

Steve Goldman is a retired natural resources program manager. He now teaches nonviolent communication.