Related News
Related News
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Public Power Week Poster Contest 2023
It’s that time of year again! October 1-7 is Public Power Week. To celebrate, EWEB is holding our annual poster contest for fifth graders in our service area. Help us pick the winners.
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EWEB programs reflect community values
EWEB is here to serve our customer-owners and provides programs that reflect the values of our community.
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National Preparedness Month: Older adults take control in 1, 2, 3
We know older adults can face greater risks when it comes to the extreme weather events and emergencies we face, especially if they are living alone, are low-income, have a disability, depend on electricity for medical needs, or live in rural areas.
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Women in STEM: EWEB Engineer Laura Ohman's second degree brings a lifetime of benefits
EWEB Engineer Laura Ohman shares how getting her second degree was one of the most difficult and rewarding things she's ever accomplished.
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Bethel neighbors boost emergency preparedness during Emergency Water Station event
Staff gave out about 300 emergency water containers to enthusiastic community members eager to learn more about the water station.
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Stay cool during extreme heat events
With temperatures forecasted to reach over 100 degrees over the next several days, we've prepared some tips and tricks to help you stay cool.
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Women in STEM: Meet our servant leader and maker of tough decisions
Karen Kelley, Chief Operations Officer at EWEB, describes herself as a "servant leader," offering support and mentoring to four division managers at EWEB.
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EWEB establishes multipronged resiliency policy
Disaster recovery and prevention are being embedded in all operations and processes.
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Women in STEM: Meet the water quality specialist who ensures the safety of Eugene's drinking water
Brenda Casarez began working at EWEB in 2009, collecting samples from all over the water system testing for different contaminants.
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EWEB will close College Hill Reservoir site for Fourth of July
EWEB will continue the annual closure of its College Hill Reservoir over the Fourth of July holiday. For the past several years, EWEB has restricted access to the reservoir surface around the Fourth of July to ensure people do not set off fireworks which can damage the roof and potentially impact drinking water quality.
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EWEB and City finalize sale of former riverfront headquarters
The two buildings on 4.4 acres will transformed into Eugene's new City Hall. EWEB and the City signed closing documents and officially handed over the site keys on Tuesday.
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EWEB begins major water pipeline upgrades
This summer, EWEB is launching several construction water pipeline projects to enhance the reliability and earthquake resiliency of drinking water service for Eugene residents.
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Currin Substation - the origin of the name
Hugh Currin was hired as an engineer at EWEB in 1923. Later, he became the chief engineer for the utility.
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EWEB Safety Tip: Celebrate responsibly with balloons
If your graduation celebration involves balloons, make sure they are secured with a weight. Otherwise, they can float away and come into contact with overhead power lines.
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EWEB programs make electric mobility more accessible
Electric mobility seems to be everywhere these days, but does availability equal accessibility? Here at EWEB we’ve determined that the answer is ‘no’ and are working to bridge that gap through EV car shares, community grants and electric bike rebates.
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City and EWEB Reach Agreement on Sale of Riverfront Property
April 13, 2017
In April 2017, EWEB and the city of Eugene reached an agreement for the sale of the utility's riverfront property, marking a key milestone in the efforts to redevelop the site. The riverfront property holds enormous redevelopment potential, enabling acres of underutilized downtown property along the Willamette River to transition from industrial to a mix of uses that include residential, retail and office.
The transformation of the approximately 16-acre property is a critical piece in connecting Eugene's downtown to the Willamette River and creating an active place for the entire community. EWEB has done much of the groundwork to prepare the property for a different future, including adopting a site master plan with broad community support and rezoning the property to allow for mixed use development and a public park along the river's edge.
"This is a tremendous and long-awaited opportunity to transition the property from its industrial origins to a future that benefits the whole community," said EWEB General Manager Frank Lawson. "I'm confident that the site, even with its development challenges, can become a lively riverfront destination that supports the revitalization of the downtown and our overall economic prosperity."
The sale of the property for $5.75 million is a negotiated price based on two previous property appraisals. It does not include about 5 acres of property where the utility's headquarters, customer service center and associated parking is located, but does consider the level of public infrastructure investments needed to bring about the type of development envisioned. This includes a new riverfront park and an improved railroad crossing to access the property, among with other investments that improve connectivity from downtown to the river.
While the headquarters is not in play at this time, EWEB is actively involved in a planning process to consolidate staff at the utility's Roosevelt Operations Center in west Eugene to make the remainder of the riverfront available for sale and redevelopment.
EWEB decided to sell the riverfront property in 2013 after relocating our operations and engineering functions to the better situated location in west Eugene. After the initial developer backed out of property sale negotiations in 2015, EWEB asked the city to take a lead role in negotiating sale of the surplus property. In July 2016, the Eugene City Council authorized the city manager to negotiate the outright purchase of the surplus property.
"The agreement with the city is the best path forward to realize the community-supported Master Plan vision and enables EWEB to focus attention on our core mission—reliable electric and water service," Lawson said. "I share the community's eagerness to see redevelopment get underway soon, and I'm confident that the city is best suited to work directly with private developers to make this project happen."
A webpage is now available on the city's website—www.eugene-or.gov/riverfront—with information regarding the redevelopment, including a new video highlighting the project.
EWEB will complete remaining environmental remediation work over the next several months. We share the community's interest in high quality development along the river in an environmentally responsible way, and look forward to seeing a legacy project emerge on this property that we can all be proud of for generations to come.