
EWEB has been working for several years on water reliability projects to ensure safe, reliable water continues to flow in our community. In addition to programs aimed at protecting water at the source, we are renovating the Hayden Bridge Water Filtration Plant, investing in our existing infrastructure, including replacing water mains and improving water pump stations, and developing neighborhood emergency water stations.
In the next decade, we plan significant upgrades to the existing water storage systems at EWEB's College Hill and Hawkins Hill sites, and a new water storage facility near East 40th Avenue and Patterson Street. Construction is underway at East 40th; these new tanks will provide 15 million gallons of seismically resilient drinking water storage for all of Eugene, and make it possible to replace aging infrastructure in other areas of the community.
Learn more...We are working with community partners to develop an emergency water supply program that includes several permanent distribution sites located throughout the community using groundwater wells, as well as mobile water trailers. As of January 2021, five sites are operational.
Learn more...We have developed a self-contained mobile distribution and treatment system that can deliver water in the event of an emergency.
The system consists of three mobile water distribution trailers and a mobile water treatment trailer, all with back-up power generation. The treatment trailer is equipped with filtration and disinfection systems and has a treatment capacity of one hundred gallons per minute while meeting EPA requirements for potable water.
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.
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.
Learn more...EWEB crews are replacing 500 feet of existing 1950s water infrastructure with a new 8” ductile iron pipe. The new pipe is more durable and designed to withstand a seismic event, which will make Eugene’s water mains much less vulnerable to future breaks, improving the resiliency of the water system. The project also involves installing a new fire hydrant and water services to area customers.
We are replacing the 80+ year-old cast iron pipes on E. 8th Avenue with new ductile iron pipe. This work is being completed ahead of the City of Eugene’s 8th Street repaving and town square project. The new pipes are more durable and designed to withstand a seismic event, improving the resiliency of the water system. The project also involves installing new hydrants and water services to area customers.
EWEB is constructing a new water pump station and pipeline on Highland Drive near the west side of Hendrick's Park. When complete, the new water main and pump station will meet modern seismic and fire codes.
Here are some basic facts about the project:
Work began in late-November 2022 and is expected to be completed in the spring of 2023. Workdays will generally be Monday - Friday between 7 a.m. and 5 p.m. Neighbors can expect truck traffic, equipment noise and intermittent access delays through spring 2023.
If you have questions or want to learn more about the project, contact us at water.storage@eweb.org or 541-685-7899.
We have invested more than $35 million upgrading, expanding and renovating our Hayden Bridge Water Filtration Plant. Over the past ten years, we have completed a series of seismic upgrades to the plant, including reinforcing basin walls and filter buildings and disconnecting an old flume from the filtration building.
In 2019, we changed the way we disinfect drinking water, switching from chlorine gas to a liquid chlorine bleach that is manufactured on-site at our Hayden Bridge Filtration Plant. The new system, which uses coarse salt, water and electrolytic conversion to make sodium hypochlorite (bleach), allows us to store enough salt at the filtration plant to last three months.
Access to clean water is vital to our community. That is why we work hard to deliver water that meets or exceeds all state and federal health standards.
Protecting the McKenzie River Watershed helps to ensure excellent drinking water quality for customers and residents today and into the future.
When you save water, you lower your bill while also protecting our environment. Fortunately, there are many simple ways to conserve this precious resource.