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Willamette Water Treatment Plant


For nearly 90 years, the community of Eugene has relied on the McKenzie River as our only source of drinking water. Some other cities in the valley get their drinking water from the Willamette River. After years of careful planning for the future, EWEB will join Corvallis, Wilsonville, Hillsboro, Beaverton and other communities by tapping into this high-quality water source.

Of the 20 largest cities in the Northwest, Eugene is the only one with a single source of drinking water. While the McKenzie River will continue to be Eugene's primary water source, EWEB is in the early stages of developing an additional water supply on the Willamette River. 

EWEB has made numerous attempts to build a second water treatment plant over the last several decades. In 2017, Commissioners directed staff to postpone planning and funding for the project, and instead focus short-term efforts on developing Emergency Water Stations. Since then, EWEB has worked with community partners to construct five emergency water distribution sites throughout the community.

Accessing the Willamette River as a redundant source is an important next step to ensure we can provide drinking water to our customers in case an emergency impacts the Hayden Bridge Filtration Plant or McKenzie River supply.





Related Programs

Protecting the McKenzie
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Read more

Protecting the McKenzie River Watershed helps to ensure excellent drinking water quality for customers and residents today and into the future.

Water safety in your home or business
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More info

Learn more about your drinking water, including how you can help keep our public water supply clean through backflow prevention. Also check out tips for preventing freezing pipes.

Preparing for Emergencies
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Learn more

Together, we prepare. Find information about preparing your household for an emergency, and learn about EWEB's Water Reliability Initiative.