Source Water Protection Week: Our Commitment to Clean Water
What lasting gift can we offer future generations?
Our time. Our wisdom. Our commitment. Through our dedication, we ensure a legacy of health, vitality, and security for generations to come. At EWEB, we believe that drinking water is one of the most vital resources to preserve and protect for the future. It's a belief our community shares, and we are dedicated to protecting the McKenzie River, the source of our drinking water in Eugene.
Recognizing the value our community places on water quality, affordability, and environmental responsibility, EWEB’s elected Commissioners established the Drinking Water Source Protection program almost a quarter century ago. Today, Eugene residents enjoy some of the finest drinking water in the nation thanks to the foresight and commitment of previous generations. Approximately 3¢ from every dollar in your EWEB bill funds source protection and water treatment, including the following source water program goals:
1. SAMPLE AND MONITOR SOURCE WATER
Our drinking water supply is susceptible to threats from development, forestry practices, agricultural activities, urban runoff, hazardous materials transportation, and wildfire. To stay ahead of potential threats, we sample urban runoff, test river water for contaminants, and use an advanced network of monitoring devices that provide early warnings of water quality disturbances. Continuous monitoring allows us to respond swiftly to problems and recognize and adjust water quality changes over time.
2. PROACTIVELY REDUCE WATER TREATMENT COSTS
Benjamin Franklin said, “An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure,” in reference to fire prevention, and that holds for water quality as well. EWEB helps farmers safely dispose of stockpiled pesticides to ensure those chemicals don’t reach the river. We work with partners to protect riparian forests that can naturally filter contaminants before they enter our waterways. And we offer assistance to McKenzie Valley landowners to ensure septic systems don’t pollute the river.
And when an accident such as a chemical spill threatens the river, we’re ready. EWEB’s McKenzie Watershed Emergency Response System runs regular “spill drills” to practice containing hazardous chemicals swiftly, preventing them from reaching the water treatment plant.
3. PROMOTE PUBLIC AWARENESS AND STEWARDSHIP
Maintaining quality drinking water is a community effort, and it takes collaboration.
Through partnerships like the Pure Water Partners Program, we work with schools, neighbors, and industries to raise awareness and empower stewardship throughout the watershed. We educate the next generation through grants and programs like Salmon Watch to get our children out to the water’s edge, inspiring them to connect with the watershed that sustains us all.
In our community, protecting our drinking water source is part of our identity. It’s a value we live by. We’re proud of this work, and we’re proud to serve a community that holds us accountable to this mission. Together we are building a future where clean, safe water remains a shared resource and a shared responsibility. Thank you for supporting this important work.
