Related News
Related News
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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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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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How does EWEB recover the costs of serving customers
Here’s an overview of the three primary ways EWEB recovers the costs of serving customers and generates the funds needed to keep the power on and the water flowing.
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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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Wildfire season is here – tips and safety precautions
Temperatures are heating up with weather forecasts anticipating temperatures up to 99 degrees in Eugene and the surrounding areas on the 4th of July.
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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, Partners Receive $7.5M Grant from NOAA
EWEB, McKenzie Watershed Council, McKenzie River Trust and the U.S. Forest Service are working to improve major tributary for water quality, wildfire resiliency and fish habitat.
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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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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 Education Programs Invest in Eugene’s Future
Learn some of the many ways EWEB customers support local schools and help inspire kids to explore the wonders of watershed health and clean energy resources.
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Every Week is Infrastructure Week
National Infrastructure Week (May 14-20) may be a politically charged quip on the national stage, but for EWEB, the urgency and importance of infrastructure is no joke.
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State of the McKenzie Watershed
Millions of dollars of investment have prevented the major harm from the Holiday Farm Fire, EWEB’s annual State of the Watershed Report finds.
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EWEB is Focused on Resiliency
August 31, 2021
This past year reminded us all of the importance of preparing for emergencies. The Covid-19 pandemic alongside a devastating wildfire in our watershed tested our community's ability to manage multiple risks.
As climate change increases the frequency and intensity of extreme weather events, Eugene Water & Electric Board is serious about making the necessary investments to ensure we can provide safe and reliable water and electricity. We'd like to share with you how EWEB is preparing our water and electric supply and infrastructure to be more resilient to the challenges we face—and what you can do to be ready.
When we speak of "resiliency" we don't mean preventing damage. No infrastructure can be completely immune to disruption from storms, earthquakes or other extreme events. Rather, resiliency measures enable electric and water facilities to continue operating despite damage, or return quickly to normal operations when outages do occur.
Our Resiliency Priorities
- Improving extreme weather preparedness and response
- Replacing and reinforcing aging infrastructure
- Developing redundant power and water sources and alternative delivery infrastructure
Investing in Drinking Water
EWEB is responsible for ensuring that our entire community has access to the clean and reliable drinking water that is essential for public health and safety, fire protection and economic vitality. These needs are more crucial than ever, as we continue to experience challenges stemming from climate change and aging infrastructure.
We have invested more than $35 million upgrading and expanding our Hayden Bridge Water Filtration Plant over the past decade. We are replacing water mains, improving pump stations, and planning for a second filtration plant on the Willamette River.
In the next decade, we will construct new water storage facilities near 40th Ave. and replace the water storage systems at our College Hill and Hawkins Hill sites. The projects will be built to seismic and contemporary operating standards, providing more 45 million gallons of resilient, safe water storage.
Learn more about water storage improvement projects.
Emergency Water Stations
EWEB launched an emergency water supply program in 2018 with a target to establish five geographically dispersed emergency water stations within five years. The goal is to continue to serve the community with drinking water should a large-scale disaster such as an earthquake affect the McKenzie River, disrupt the water treatment plant or damage the 800 miles of distribution pipes that deliver water to Eugene homes and businesses.
With the help of our community partners including Bethel and Eugene 4J School Districts, City of Eugene, and Lane County, five sites are currently operational.
Learn more and locate the station nearest to your home.
Electric System Resiliency
We're making investments to reduce storm-related outages and to address evolving risks such as climate change, earthquakes and wildfire. In the next few years, we plan to rebuild or expand four substations to increase electric capacity and improve reliability, while also:
- Upgrading and relicensing the Carmen-Smith Hydroelectric Project to continue providing access to local power generation
- Replacing older poles, crossarms, and wires
- Converting targeted overhead lines to underground
Wildfire Safety and Prevention
Wildfire prevention is increasingly important as climate, drought and a host of other issues are converging, resulting in more frequent and damaging wildfire events. We proactively prune trees and trim around 300 line miles of vegetation annually to help keep our equipment clear and remove fuel sources.
When there is a high risk of wildfire, we modify the settings on equipment to allow faster de-energization, reducing the risk that power lines become potential points of ignition.
Learn more about power line protective measures.
Meter Technology Investments
We want to provide customers with better service, build a more resilient community and create a cleaner energy future. As a part of achieving these goals, we will upgrade our electric meters to smart meters by Spring 2022 and our water meters by the end of 2023.
Smart meters will give EWEB greater visibility into the system, allowing us to pinpoint outage locations and enabling repair crews to restore services faster and at lower cost.
Learn more about how smart meters make our community more resilient.
How You Can Prepare
We're taking steps to become better prepared, and we urge you to take time to do the same at home. By being prepared as individuals, we free up valuable resources, enabling our first responders to assist those who are in the greatest need.
Make a plan, build an emergency supply kit, stay informed, work together to keep everyone safe.
Visit our Emergency Preparedness page for tips and resources. From there, you can also join EWEB's Pledge to Prepare, and start receiving a monthly email with easy, step-by-step recommendations that will help you get two-weeks ready within 12 months.