OLWS has two large compliance-driven projects for our wastewater system that require immediate action. Both projects are in the early planning stages.

• Tr​unk Main Capacity​ Project will reduce the risk of wastewater escaping into our local waterways following winter storms.
   
• Tertiary Treatment Project at our Water Reclamation Facility will help meet new, more stringent permit requirements for treated water that is returned to the Willamette River.

Five Things to Know about Tertiary Treatment 

1. The Department of Environmental Quality recently issued a new National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System Waste Discharge Permit for our Water Reclamation Facility. Beginning May 1, the District has to meet new, stricter permit requirements when treating wastewater.
    
2. To comply with the permit year-round, the District needs to install tertiary treatment at the Wastewater Reclamation Facility.
    
3. Tertiary treatment is a third level of treatment that makes the wastewater cleaning process even more effective at removing inorganic materials before cleaned water is released to the environment.
    
4. Nearly all similar facilities in the lower Willamette River Basin already use tertiary treatment.
    
5. The District will keep customers informed as we look at funding options over the coming months and work to identify the type of tertiary treatment best-suited to help our system perform up to these environmental standards.

Learn more at the Community Conversation on Wastewater Improvement Projects via Zoom on Thursday, June 9 at 6:00 pm. Registration is required to receive a link and password to attend the session. Registration is closed. Watch now: https://youtu.be/GO7F0x647eA

The Community Conversation will also be recorded and shared on our website. If you are unable to attend and would like to receive a link to watch the recording, email the word “WASTEWATER” to alexa@olwsd.org. If you have trouble accessing any of the links or do not have access to the internet, please contact Alexa Morris at (503) 353-4219 or alexa@olwsd.org.