
Electric Outage: 1-844-484-2300
Water Emergency: 541-685-7595
EWEB Main: 541-685-7000
Using fireworks near power lines could lead to a fire, explosion, power outage or downed line.
Find Out MoreOn June 18, with the help of community neighbors, EWEB inaugurated a new emergency water station at the Lane County Fairgrounds.
Find Out MoreAs a public utility, it is important EWEB check in with customers to see how we are performing. We invite you to share your feedback and opinions.
Find Out MoreAs a public utility, owned by the people of Eugene, it’s important for us to be open and transparent with our customer-owners. The following State of the Utility Address, delivered by General Manager Frank Lawson at the March 1 EWEB Board meeting, highlights key events, accomplishments and challenges of 2021.
Find Out MoreCommunity organizations, property developers and others will soon be able to submit offers to purchase and develop a 4.44-acre site in a prime location along Eugene’s burgeoning downtown waterfront district.
Find Out MoreStarting late night Sunday night, an intense windstorm blew over trees and caused just over 2,600 Eugene Water & Electric Board customers to lose power. But EWEB line crews working through the dark hours of the night and early morning promptly restored service for nearly all those customers.
Find Out MoreNew programs provide customers opportunities to invest in local environment, watershed protection, and future climate scientists
Find Out MoreEWEB is offering new programs to help Eugene electrify its transporation sector - tackling our largest source of carbon emissions
Find Out MoreEWEB, City of Eugene project reduces City Facilities carbon footprint by 16%
Find Out MoreWhile world leaders debate climate action, EWEB reflects on our community's climate successes
Find Out MoreRecent material shortages have EWEB increasingly concerned about our ability to meet timelines for electric and water construction projects.
Find Out MoreAs part of our routine monitoring efforts, EWEB conducted a bathymetric survey of Trail Bridge Reservoir in May 2021 and found unusual depressions. EWEB conducted follow-up inspections with a remotely operated underwater vehicle along with dye testing by divers in early June 2021. Based on the dye tests, the two larger depressions are actively taking water and are considered sinkholes. Subsequent dye testing and geophysical investigations in July and August indicated that there is no concentrated seepage flow through or under Trail Bridge Dam.
Find Out MoreEWEB Leads "Spill Drill" to test HazMat Response
Find Out MoreUnlike for-profit utilities who serve their investors, EWEB and other public power providers are community-owned and do not operate to earn a profit or benefit stockholders. Our prices are based on the costs to serve our community with safe, reliable water and electricity.
Find Out MoreWhile most wildfires are started by lightning strikes or caused by human actions, utilities have a role to play in risk reduction -- and we are doing our part. And while we can’t stop wildfires, we can make our electric infrastructure more resilient to better withstand fires by using new construction methods and materials and keeping our system maintenance up to date by replacing aging equipment.
Find Out MoreChris describes a lot of his ten and a half years with EWEB as a "hoot," which seems especially fitting given Chris himself could accurately be described as a hoot. He is a smiling, laughing, downright jovial individual. All of that makes it near impossible to imagine him in the job he had prior to EWEB.
"I was in a job where I had to fire people all of the time. It was not fun," says Chris. "It's going to sound corny, but I remember when I came into EWEB for an interview, I almost had this child-like wonder of what a neat place it was. I had a sense that I really wanted to work here," he continues.
Like a lot of staff featured in our Powered by People profiles, Chris got his start with EWEB as a Customer Service Analyst and has worked his way around the utility over the years.
"When I started, I worked on the phones and in the atrium. Sometimes, I would get borrowed by credit and collections or email communications. It was an absolute blast. I'd show up and just go where I was needed."
Often EWEB forms horizontal teams to involve diverse perspectives when addressing problems or projects. It was on one of these teams that Chris first worked with his now supervisor, Sarah.
"I didn't know anything about risk management," says Chris. "But when a position opened up in the group, I knew I'd kick myself if I didn't take the chance. I had told myself if an opportunity came up to work with Sarah again, I'd take it. So I did a ton of research and I landed the best job in the utility."
When asked how he would describe that "best job" Chris boils it down to simple terms. "I help make sure we are making intentional decisions. That it's not just 'it's always been this way, so that's the way it is.' It's fine to take risks-just need to understand the potential consequences and how it could impact others."
In his role as an Enterprise Risk Analyst, Chris works with staff throughout the utility, not only spreading his knowledge and advice, but his good nature and sense of commitment.
"It's a great gig. There's tremendous value in knowing our collective efforts go into delivering on-demand electricity and high quality water. We juggle matching what we do with where customers find value too-whether it's in affordability or protecting the environment. An amazing amount of work goes into that. I have tens of thousands of bosses. It's really cool and I have every single intention in being here another 25 years. No doubts. I enjoy the heck out of my job."
Thank goodness, since all of us at EWEB find Chris is not only a hoot, but a blast and we enjoy the heck out of getting to work with him. Just passing the man in the hall will brighten your day.
Thank you Chris for your role in providing customers with vital services 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year.
4200 Roosevelt Blvd.
Eugene, OR 97402
800-841-5871
541-685-7000
Open Monday-Friday
Phone hours: 9 a.m. - 6:30 p.m.