Hillsboro, OR — March 23, 2007 —
The Tualatin Basin Water Supply Project Policy Steering Committee unanimously recommended at a public meeting last night that local water resource agencies pursue a full or partial transfer of the existing Tualatin Reclamation Project (Scoggins Dam and its facilities) from the US Bureau of Reclamation (Reclamation) to local ownership. Title transfer would offer several benefits including significant time and cost savings for raising Scoggins Dam which is being proposed for future water supply in the Basin. Raising Scoggins Dam by forty feet is estimated to cost about $300 million and local control of the facilities could save up to a quarter of that cost.
The Tualatin Basin Water Supply Project partners are seeking an additional 50,000 acre feet of water per year by 2050 and their deadline is to deliver new water by July 2016. The Partners include Clean Water Services—serving as project manager—the Tualatin Valley Water District and the Cities of Hillsboro, Beaverton, Tigard, Tualatin, and Forest Grove.
“This project is of critical importance to the future of Washington County and our entire region,” said Washington County Commission and Clean Water Services’ Board Chair Tom Brian. “Our economy, environment and quality of life are dependent upon successfully meeting the growing municipal, industrial, agricultural and environmental water needs of our community. Transferring title to local ownership would reduce the federal government’s long-term costs while saving time, money and improving our ability to management water resources in the Tualatin Basin.”
The possibility of title transfer was suggested by Reclamation Commissioner John Keys III (retired) in a discussion with local partners in the Water Supply Project more than a year ago and is supported by Senators Wyden and Smith and Congressman Wu. Reclamation has developed a framework for title transfers as a policy direction for more efficient and effective management of facilities through local ownership. Local water resource agencies involved in the Water Supply Project formed a study committee to determine the feasibility of title transfer and brought their findings to the Policy Steering Committee made up of elected and appointed officials from each of the partners in the project.
The process of title transfer would begin with an agreement to proceed from the governing bodies of the repayment contract holders for the existing facility. These agencies include the Tualatin Valley Irrigation District (TVID), Clean Water Services, the cities of Hillsboro, Beaverton, and Forest Grove, the Lake Oswego Corporation, and Washington County. Other water supply partners may participate such as Tualatin Valley Water District and the City of Tigard. “If we can reduce our costs through local ownership of the irrigation facilities, then we need to consider that,” said Jim Love, Chair of TVID’s Board of Directors.
At the same time the Water Supply partners explore title transfer, they will continue with the federal process to complete a Draft Planning Report/Environmental Impact Statement (PR/EIS) comparing two alternatives for meeting the future water demand. One option is raising Scoggins Dam 40 feet, or a multiple source option that includes raising Scoggins Dam 25 feet in combination with expansion of the Willamette River Water Treatment Plant. The Draft PR/EIS is expected to be released for public review in June 2007 with a 90-day public comment period.
Clean Water Services is a water resource management utility for more than 500,000 people in urban Washington County and small portions of Multnomah County, Clackamas County, Lake Oswego, and Portland. Clean Water Services operates four wastewater treatment facilities, constructs and maintains flood management and water quality projects, and manages flow in the Tualatin River to improve water quality and protect fish habitat. Although Clean Water Services maintains a close working relationship with Washington County government, it is a separately managed and financed public utility.