
Electric Outage: 1-844-484-2300
Water Emergency: 541-685-7595
EWEB Main: 541-685-7000
As we continue to care for our critical infrastructure, we must also protect the source of our drinking water—the McKenzie River and its surrounding watershed.
Find Out MoreAs Texas struggles to restore electricity to millions, locals may be wondering if a similar crisis could happen here, and what utility operators and individuals can do to prepare for unprecedented weather events.
Find Out MoreVoluntary program helps residents restore their land and prepare for rebuilding, while reducing the impacts of the fire on the McKenzie River.
Find Out MoreHeavy rain in the McKenzie Valley over the weekend gave EWEB’s water quality team a close look at the potential impacts from the Holiday Farm Fire on source water.
Find Out MoreCrews of young people are helping to protect Eugene’s drinking water by mitigating the impact of post-fire soil erosion along the McKenzie River.
Find Out MoreTurning on the tap for safe drinking water, and flushing the toilet with no second thought about what happens to wastewater, are actions most of us take for granted every day. But this year as we face an enormous public health crisis stemming from the covid-19 pandemic, we must realize that reliable water service is something we depend on to protect our health and economy.
Find Out MoreEWEB foresters and contract tree crews are working in the McKenzie River Valley following the Holiday Farm Fire to assess, trim and remove vegetation that may interfere with electrical infrastructure.
Find Out MoreIn the aftermath of the Holiday Farm Fire, we’re working to protect the safety and security of our community’s sole source of drinking water.
Find Out MoreWe launched the emergency water supply program about two years ago with the goal of establishing several geographically dispersed water distribution sites throughout the community.
Find Out MoreWe continue to monitor both the source water and treated drinking water to ensure its safety.
Find Out MoreUpdate on the capabilities of our Hayden Bridge Filtration plant when it comes to treating water from the McKenzie River amid the impacts of the Holiday Farm Fire.
Find Out MoreEach day, the treatment process is reviewed and adjustments are made accordingly.
Find Out MoreHere in the northwest, we are all too aware that wildfires often result in loss of life and property.
Find Out MoreWe want to assure all customers that the water drawn from the lower McKenzie River and then treated at the Hayden Bridge Filtration Plant is safe to drink.
Find Out MoreAs our nation continues to respond to COVID-19, there is no better time to take action. During September’s National Preparedness Month, Eugene Water & Electric Board encourages customers to be “prepared, not scared” in the event of a natural disaster or other emergency.
Find Out MoreOn the heels of the Holiday Farm Fire, we quickly got to work with partner agencies and research organizations to identify post-fire threats to water quality in the McKenzie River. Additional water quality sensors have been placed in the main stem of the river, as well as in several creeks and tributaries. The widespread damage from the fire will likely threaten water quality for years, and these sensors are essential tools to the on-going recovery effort.
Real-time monitoring, especially during major storm events, provides important data about the location, amount, and types of contaminants flushed into the river. This information can act as an early warning system to adjust treatment practices at EWEB's filtration plant downstream and help prioritize watershed restoration activities. Learn more about watershed monitoring.
During the past few heavy rain events, monitors detected turbidity levels that were significantly higher than typical for the McKenzie River—a result of sediment from the surrounding land washing into the river. Analytical results from the expanded real-time monitoring network also showed an increase in nutrients, metals, and organic compounds coming from the burned and eroded landscape above the river.
Fortunately, these impacts seem to be short-lived and the water quality issues experienced so far are well within the capacity of EWEB's treatment plant to handle. Read more about your drinking water quality.
Protecting water quality requires a "source to tap" mentality, not simply relying on treatment measures to mitigate problems. The Holiday Farm Fire disaster presents an opportunity to rebuild smarter and strategically scale up source protection activities with an eye towards a more resilient watershed.
EWEB and our partners are looking for opportunities to implement large-scale floodplain restoration in key areas to mitigate flooding, erosion, and water quality impacts from severely burned landscapes. We also hope to work with area residents to replant some 100 acres of high priority riparian areas this winter.
If you are a landowner in the fire area and would like a site assessment from one of our team members, please visit the Pure Water Partners website.
Learn more about watershed restoration activities and protecting our water supply.
500 East Fourth Ave.
Eugene, OR 97401
800-841-5871
541-685-7000
Open Monday-Friday
Phone hours: 9 a.m. - 6:30 p.m.
Lobby hours: 9 a.m. - 5:30 p.m.