
Electric Outage: 1-844-484-2300
Water Emergency: 541-685-7595
EWEB Main: 541-685-7000
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.
Find Out MoreNational 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.
Find Out MoreMillions of dollars of investment have prevented the major harm from the Holiday Farm Fire, EWEB’s annual State of the Watershed Report finds.
Find Out MoreEWEB employs multiple methods of safeguarding drinking water, from the source to the tap.
Find Out MoreOld reservoir leaks, threatening water quality, and will fail when a major earthquake strikes.
Find Out MoreEWEB customers use more than twice as much water in the hot, dry summer months, compared to the cold, rainy winter months. The higher summer water use can almost assuredly be attributed to customers watering their lawns and gardens.
Find Out MoreThe Eugene Water & Electric Board (EWEB) is expanding its capacity to provide water to customers in case of an emergency.
Find Out MoreEWEB is already in compliance with a new proposed federal rule that would require municipalities to test for PFAs, or forever chemicals, in drinking water. The good news for EWEB customers is that in over ten years of testing we have not found PFAs in our water.
Find Out MoreEugene is one of the largest cities on the west coast with only a single source of drinking water, the McKenzie River. And though the McKenzie is a pure, reliable water source, EWEB will secure a second source ensure resiliency in the future, planning to build a water treatment plant on the Willamette River, upstream of Eugene and Springfield.
Find Out MoreEWEB is building two 7.5-million-gallon water storage tanks on a 10-acre property at East 40th and Patterson Street in South Eugene. The tanks are part of our work to improve EWEB’s water storage infrastructure for future resiliency to earthquakes and climate change. People who live nearby have been watching the progress of the work since summer 2021.
Find Out MoreGrantees in the McKenzie River Valley can receive up to $35,000 each
Find Out MoreEugene has some of the best drinking water in the world. That’s thanks to our source, the pristine McKenzie River. It’s also thanks to the people at EWEB; whether an engineer designing a new reservoir, a treatment plant operator ensuring the safety and quality of drinking water, or a member of a crew maintaining the infrastructure in our community, water professionals work around the clock to ensure tap water is there when you need it.
Find Out MoreAn EWEB-supported program provides firewood for people affected by the 2020 Holiday Farm Fire. The McKenzie Firewood program was developed by Pure Water Partners (PWP) in 2021.
Find Out MoreAt EWEB, we do what we can to help others in need. That’s been the reality for several of our electric and water crews over the past few weeks as we’ve responded to mutual aid requests for storm response and drinking water restoration, locally, and out of state.
Find Out MoreEWEB has 800 miles of transmission and distribution lines transporting your drinking water underground throughout the city. It eventually comes out of your tap as delicious thirst-quenching water. But what goes into maintaining all those pipes? And what happens when one gets a leak? We went to find out.
Find Out MoreJuly 20, 2022
The McKenzie River is one of Oregon’s best recreation destinations and here in Eugene we are lucky to have it right in our backyard. Whether you paddle, swim, or fish, you can find clear, crisp waters with stunning scenery throughout the McKenzie Valley.
There are a few sites, however, that pose higher risks for developing Harmful Algal Blooms. HABs are outbreaks of toxic cyanobacteria that thrive in warm water conditions, and they can be harmful to human health or to pets.
As the McKenzie River is currently the sole source of drinking water for around 200,000 people in Eugene, EWEB routinely tests water in 10 locations to be able to detect and treat for the effects of HABs to make sure our water is safe to drink.
It’s been a part of our water quality regime since the Oregon Health Authority began requiring cyanotoxin monitoring in 2018. In the four years EWEB specialists have sampled for cyanotoxins, we have never detected toxins at concentrations of concern at the Hayden Bridge Water Treatment Plant intake site.
Nevertheless, in the warm summer months, people should be aware of HABs and learn how to identify suspicious algae to stay safe. Parents and guardians of young children and dog owners should pay particular attention when swimming in or near the Blue River Reservoir or downstream of Cougar Reservoir. At these sites, the reservoirs’ impounded water can heat up and accumulate nutrients, creating ideal habitats for HABs to develop.
The Oregon Health Authority recommends, "Don't go into water that looks foamy, scummy, thick like paint, pea-green, blue-green, or brownish red. A good rule of thumb for you and your pet is: When in Doubt, Stay Out!"
EWEB is making it easier for you to recreate safely, with a new interactive HABs map that displays our latest testing results. By providing early warning of when cyanobacterial HABs are producing cyanotoxins, we can help prevent potential recreational exposure to these cyanotoxins in our reservoirs and river.
“We collect hundreds of samples every summer, and we keep a watchful eye on the McKenzie,” said Water Quality Specialist Brenda Casarez. “We’re excited to share our testing results on our new interactive HABs map so we can help EWEB customers and visitors stay safe when exploring our beautiful McKenzie River.”
Next time you’re heading up to Blue River or Cougar Reservoir, check out our website to get a heads up on HABs activity. Be sure to check the date of the test, as we monitor every two weeks, and use your best judgement if the water doesn’t look healthy.
Para asistencia en español llame al 541-685-7000, presione 9
Mailing Address: 4200 Roosevelt Blvd., Eugene, OR 97402
Phone: 541-685-7000
Toll free: 800-841-5871
Email: eweb.answers@eweb.org
Customer service phone hours: 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday - Friday