I will gladly hold my nose and vote for any of the big three if they promise to install Scott Fernandez as the PWB chief.

What's that? The sound of crickets?

If the city manages to drive out the brewers, then the shark has jumped this rotten little town.

The people in charge down here in Milwaukie are copying Portland: 17.1% water rate increase, 7% sewer increase and 7% storm water with more increase in succeeding years.

Brew pubs could start leaving for the burbs which means we could use more fossil fuels to get out beer. Smart! (smart is now a pejorative.)

Let me think for a moment before deciding which side to take.

We have job creators and taxPAYERS...or those that have ridden IN THE WAGON their entire adult lives and will be taxTAKERS as long as they live.

Give me a second...I'm thinking...

Beer....SO blue collar.
Only cute baristas or bartenders with tats need apply.

Beer? -who needs beer?
Food?
Dairy products? -go vegan
Apartments? - who needs apartments?

No food, no beer, nowhere to live except those little "transition" trailers.

Read through the article and have this question.
Why am I paying a "storm water management fee" when all the storm water that falls on the hard surfaces of my property runs off into either catch basins on my property or into the grass.

Unfortunately the Large Water Users Coalition has painted themselves into a corner by adopting the State variance process that is temporary, can be withdrawn at any time, and uses unreliable scientific methodologies. The only hope and remaining solution is the waiver position I wrote challenging EPA LT2 against the Safe Drinking Water Act. Of the three leading mayoral candidates, one has little comment and the other two have interaction with corporations more than happy to provide expensive "toilet to tap" techologies for blending our future drinking water sources.
Additionally the EPA Harbor Superfund project at +$100 million just for the study will be showing more impact on your utility and property tax bills over the next decades. This one will dwarf the "big pipe" costs. Keeping the political status quo is going to be a bumpy financial ride for Portland. It's time for new leadership and political change.

Well, we might as well enjoy drinking those great micro brews while we can.

The huge Powell Butte project is a "blend" center, not only a storage tank, why?

Like the idea of a special on the bar boards called "Willy River Blend?"

The microbrewery industry is a great industry providing jobs we have here now, and much is dependent on the good Bull Run water, and that industry needs to pay attention.
If we cannot stop the "grand plan" of some who don't care what we drink or have to pay, all hell will break loose. I would lament the loss of our good brews for many reasons. I like a good brew now and then and I understand the good Bull Run water is critical to these great brews.

As I find out more about this, I have come to despise those who simply do not care about retaining our good Bull Run water system, and good drinking water, and on the path to making huge sums at the expense of the health of our community...and I have no respect for those who apparently are more interested in their political careers and who are essentially going along with this.

"Give me beer, or give me death"

Al Bundy!

Why am I paying a "storm water management fee" when all the storm water that falls on the hard surfaces of my property runs off into either catch basins on my property or into the grass.

You haven't been paying attention, sadly: DEQ will now allow you to use gray water on your lawns and gardens, assuming you follow a few basic rules and pay them for a permit. If you purchase 300 gallons of water per day or less, they will charge you $90 for the first year, but will drop the fee to $40 in subsequent years.

As I mentioned, there are a few rules: You can only use water from your shower or bathroom sink, or your washing machine, or rain water (which is now classified as gray water). You cannot use water from any kitchen sink, as it may be contaminated with grease. You cannot use water from any toilet fixture or other unapproved location.

What this means is that if you purchase 300 gallons or less, you can (with permit) recapture some of it to use on lawns and gardens, rather than sending it straight to the sewer. You may also want to opt to spend some money for an approved gray water system.

http://www.registerguard.com/web/newslocalnews/27900941-46/gray-permit-reuse-deq-permits.html.csp

http://www.green-buildings.com/content/782247-sloan-graywater-treatment-aqus-water-reuse-system

Please note, your sewer rates are calculated on the basis of seasonally adjusted values, and your rate calculations are dependent upon the volume of water purchased. Should you choose to purchase a permit to extract gray water for irrigation purposes, do not expect a lower sewer services billing in return.

As previously noted, gray water now includes rainwater, because it is classed as an untreated water source. At present, Oregon DEQ has not issued rules for use of this product, and current permit fee structure does not include this source.

Whether or not eventual rules and fee structures will "grandfather in" this source remains unclear at present.