Leonard and Shaff have learned well from their corporate engineer masters how to screw the ratepayers. Looking forward to unnecessary double digit rate increases for many years....all to pay for degradation of our drinking water they know has no public health problem?

Gramps says "Go Get 'em Millie!"

At least water meters are part of the water system. How much is in the bond measure for Randy's favorite things such as hydroparks, solar arrays, "green" houses and improvements to the Rose Festival HQ at Waterfront Park?

But the solar-powered loos are cool, dontcha' think?

This is pathetic. Water meters are a normal "wear and tear" item that should be a part of a normal operating budget. The fact that they don't have the money for such a normal item should tell anyone all they need to know about how these scum are wasting Water Bureau dollars.

No, those things come out of the normal budget, which is why the city has to borrow for things like water meters and fire trucks.

I see that Jack's debt meter is about to turn to $11k per city resident. That means $44k for my family.

All I ask is that the city keep this crap under wraps just long enough for me to flip my house to the next idiot moving up from San Fransisco.

You want water issues? Try living in Lake Oswego. My water bill went up 50% -- I live alone, do not wash my car at home and do not water my lawn -- my water bill is more than $140 for two months! I know, someone has to pay for draining the lake -- but I think there's some waste, fraud and abuse in there to.

Dear god, for meter with a 2-inch pipe (10-unit apt), it costs a builder up front something like $15K and this still doesn't cover it?

PWB is the new profit center for Portland.

Dave A.The fact that they don't have the money for such a normal item should tell anyone all they need to know about how these scum are wasting Water Bureau dollars.

We need an audit of all the deferred maintenance as well.
Shouldn't that also be covered under normal budgets?
I have used the expression of look behind the curtain. In this case I say we need to take a look underground as well. Just because things are hidden, doesn't mean all is well down there.

Seems the pattern is not to take care of basics.

Has the Portland Utility Review Board looked at the deferred maintenance issue?
Would be interesting to know what their response might be? For our sake, I hope they are asking the hard questions here.

Big question: How does Leonard plan to get money for deferred maintenance?

pom mom, I would gladly trade my $240 water bill for you $140 bill.

Snards,
You do know that the water rates were going to continue to go up each year, double or more rates coming. Expensive unnecessary projects were planned, but do not need to be implemented now. That should help the rates from increasing.

You have read what I have written before about the billion debt and that many said this was all for a problem that did not exist. Now, finally the O has reported that after all that testing, Bull Run Water doesn't have the problem, cryptosporidium. . . so we need a Waiver from that LT2 Rule now.

Do you think Leonard will ask for a Waiver now?

In my opinion, he "prefers" the word variance so that allows he and PWB to continue on the road to spend money for expensive projects for corporations.
A Waiver is what is needed and in our best interests.

Citizens should not have to be continually involved to pressure Leonard and PWB to do the right thing and/or to be watchdogs. It is dismaying when what we needed in the first place is to have officials clearly on the side of the public's interest.

From the letter I linked to yesterday on the blog, apparently Senator Merkley is waiting for Leonard to do the "ask" so that he Senator Merkley can assist in this matter.

This community needs a Waiver from the LT2 Rule that was based on politics not science.

Don't worry. They'll sell them and lease them back and save a bundle.

"Has the Portland Utility Review Board looked at the deferred maintenance issue?
Would be interesting to know what their response might be? For our sake, I hope they are asking the hard questions here."

The decent and honest people who served on the Portland Utility Review Board were forced out by Leonard and his hand picked predecessors are now in place doing his bidding.

The good people of Portland will get no relief from this bogus entity. The new board supported the continued increases of water rates just last year.

The whole LT2 issue coming back into the news on the heels of Hexavalent chromium found in Portland drinking water- recall the "mothball" smell- looks like a red herring.

You'd think the water bureau would be scrambling to fix the cracked, leaking water delivery pipes that are delivering carcinogenic drinking water to citizens in East Portland.

You think there would be immediate testing of the ground water wells that supply water to the entire city of Portland during high use and reservoir repairs.

Mr Shaff, are the wells regularly tested for Hexavalent chromium? Has it ever been detected in our water?

Methinks this mixing of polluted groundwater with our pristine Bull Run water will lead to even greater need for chemical purification in our watershed, further degrading the system, requiring greater chemical treatment.

With the rates continuing to go up, the rate payers won't be able to sustain the cost and the system will be sold. How many recall Sten's run at selling Bull Run? Sometimes these things just take a little longer than planned...

If Portland just decided to stiff the EPA, the Oregon DEQ would be the organization that would decide whether to or how much to fine the city.

Since testing has shown zero bad bugs, would not it be reasonable to assume that the DEQ would let the city off the hook for a whole hell of a lot less than $100 Million, put $3 Million per year forever thereafter.

TYPO:
plus $3 Million per year forever thereafter?

Marie: . . You'd think the water bureau would be scrambling to fix the cracked, leaking water delivery pipes that are delivering carcinogenic drinking water to citizens in East Portland.

You think there would be immediate testing of the ground water wells that supply water to the entire city of Portland during high use and reservoir repairs.

Mr Shaff, are the wells regularly tested for Hexavalent chromium? Has it ever been detected in our water? . .

Are you saying that the water coming from those wells is carcinogenic? Is that well water only being sent to East Portland or are you saying that there are bad pipes in that area causing the problem?

Sounds like you know quite a bit about this.
That my concern about deferred maintenance is valid. Would be interesting to have a whistle blower or someone who is now retired from the bureau to tell us what they know about the pipes and what the real situation is throughout our city "underground." If it is as bad as what you write about, this shouldn't be covered up anymore.