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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.
Find Out MoreIn Eugene, we take pride in knowing we have one of the cleanest power portfolios in the nation. Roughly 90% of Eugene's power comes from carbon-free hydroelectric energy. And EWEB has a long history offering robust conversation programs. But we wanted to do more, so we launched Lead Green, a suite of programs for climate innovators looking to support renewable energy and take action on climate change. In the year since Lead Green was launched, we've accomplished a lot we can be proud of.
Find Out MoreLearn 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 MoreBy upgrading substations – key nodes in the electric grid – EWEB is investing today in a resilient electric grid for the future.
Find Out MoreSeventh graders in the Bethel School District put their handmade wind turbines to the test in a wind power challenge supported by EWEB grants last week.
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 MoreThe application period is now open for the Electric Mobility Community Grants. Mobility Grants of up to $25,000 will be awared to five nonprofits, schools and academic intitutions, government and other public agencies to cover costs associated with their electric mobility projects.
Find Out MoreEWEB's Greenpower subscribers voted to award this year's Greenpower Grant to Friends of Trees, a local nonprofit that brings trees to areas of Eugene and Springfield with low tree equity.
Find Out MoreFollow along as the Currin Substation, the first of 10 substations in 10 years, is rebuilt from the ground up as part of EWEB's Capital Improvement Plan for major infrastructure investments to rehabilitate, replace, and install new infrastructure.
Find Out MoreEWEB is excited to announce the eligible candidates for the 2023 Greenpower Grant! The winner of the Greenpower Grant will be voted on by Greenpower subscribers. Learn more about each origanization and their proposal before casting your vote.
Find Out MoreOld reservoir leaks, threatening water quality, and will fail when a major earthquake strikes.
Find Out MoreCarbon is everywhere. But do we really understand what it is and what is being referred to when people mention it? We are taking it back to the basics in this article that breaks down carbon and explains what it is at it's most basic element and why we need to pay attention to it.
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 MoreOctober 16, 2020
For nearly a century our community has relied on and benefitted from the McKenzie River for safe, abundant drinking water and clean, reliable electricity. Now, in the aftermath of the Holiday Farm Fire, we're working to protect the safety and security of this treasured resource and our community's sole source of drinking water.
Wildfire can dramatically increase erosion in forests by reducing tree cover and altering the physical and chemical properties of soils. Post-fire ash, debris, and sediment can complicate water treatment, impact water quality for downstream communities, and challenge our source water protection efforts.
EWEB is working in partnership with watershed researchers, forest management agencies, landowners and local non-profits to identify threats to our water supply and public health resulting from the Holiday Farm Fire, prioritize watershed restoration activities and help with long-term community recovery.
One of the most urgent priorities is preventing hazardous debris and toxic ash from getting into the river and threatening water quality. Approximately 150 properties have been identified as a high priority for early actions based on proximity to the river and location within the burn area. For these high priority properties, EWEB is offering free post-fire hazardous material stabilization, which involves pulling debris away from the riverbank, staging it in a safe location above the high-water mark, and installing erosion control measures between burned structures and the river as an added precaution.
In addition to hazardous material stabilization, we are working with our Pure Water Partners to offer free site assessments for all properties along the McKenzie River that have been affected by the Holiday Farm Fire. Landowners will receive recommendations and support with tree removal, replanting and other erosion control measures to mitigate runoff of ash and soil which can elevate turbidity, nutrients, and organic carbon levels downstream.
"The security of our water supply is tied to the health of the entire McKenzie watershed," said Water Resources & Quality Assurance Supervisor Karl Morgenstern. "Wildfire damage has the potential to degrade water quality, increase treatment costs, and reduce the production capacity of EWEB's Hayden Bridge treatment plant for years to come if restoration efforts are not undertaken quickly in key areas."
Thanks to years of efforts to manage costs and operate more efficiently, EWEB has the financial headroom to get this critical work started immediately; cash reserves are healthy and can be used to fund short-term priority restoration projects.
At the Oct. 6, 2020 Board meeting, Commissioners approved reallocating $1 million of existing funds in order to address high priority risks associated with severely burned areas, which will include securing approximately 300,000 native seedlings and plant materials that can effectively treat about 200-300 acres of priority upland/riparian/floodplain impacted areas.
These early restoration efforts will be followed by more intensive work in priority upland, riparian, and floodplain areas as federal and other funding becomes available.
EWEB will undertake this work with the support and guidance of our customer-owners. Over more than a decade of outreach and research, customers have expressed a clear and unchanging priority—ensuring safe, reliable drinking water remains the most important EWEB program.
"All of us who rely on and benefit from the McKenzie River will have important roles in meeting the challenges ahead," said Karl. "Restoring the watershed and protecting our community's drinking water for generations to come will take shared stewardship, ownership and commitment."
Learn more about wildfire recovery and watershed restoration.
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Mailing Address: 4200 Roosevelt Blvd., Eugene, OR 97402
Phone: 541-685-7000
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