We're lucky -- but Carollo is luckier
Portland's water bureau is singing the praises of its east side groundwater wells these days:
While we commonly sing the praises of Bull Run water, the real unsung hero is groundwater. Without our groundwater system, we would be in a similar boat to Vancouver BC. In fall of 2006, a large storm hit the Pacific Northwest. Over 2 million Vancouver residents had to boil their water, some for as long as 12 days, because of turbidity in their water source. They were not lucky enough to have a secondary water source like we do. During this same storm, the Water Bureau was able to shut off the Bull Run supply and switch to groundwater. All our customer continued to be supplied with drinking water that meets or exceeds all drinking water standards.So next time you turn on the tap, think about how lucky we are to have groundwater.
Not mentioned is the fact that the city is handing over huge quantities of that groundwater to one of its cozy contractor pals at a bargain rate.
| Posted at 1:58 PM | Permalink |
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Comments (12)
The turbidity issue was one of the PWB's main justifications for trying to build the 500 million direct filtration plant in Bull Run back in 2009.
Posted by Aaron | February 24, 2012 2:07 PM
"So next time you turn on the tap, think about how lucky we are"
Also think about how you have to pay 50% more than 3 years ago for that same water.
Wake me when they print the headline about the Dear Father Randy curing cancer with Bull Run water.
Posted by Steve | February 24, 2012 2:15 PM
Our water tastes lousy in the summer and when they have to switch for these events.
The old $500B plan would have given water ratepayers something drinking water-related for their money for once, at the very least. I'd take a direct filtration plant over a UV "filtration" plant any day. Hitting the water with some UV would do nothing but make a few too easily worried people feel better. You'll still have to run the water through your own charcoal filter to taste the premo stuff.
At the very least if they ever do end up UV filtering the water I wish they would lower the chloramine.
Posted by Aaron (but not the one that posted above) | February 24, 2012 4:16 PM
Also not mentioned is the TCE contamination of this aquifer.
Posted by John Rettig | February 24, 2012 10:36 PM
I was in VC during that storm. It was awful! I went home to Oregon that morning when the brown water started coming out of the faucet at the hotel. I do appreciate the backup plan but not the price.
Posted by mcinor | February 25, 2012 8:56 AM
And more troubling is the well water contains Radon. If the PWB continues it's unneeded multimillion dollar project to put all of our water in closed storage tanks, all of that Radon will off-gas into your home.
Having a secondary water source is fine, storing water in huge sealed tanks is NOT!
Open reservoirs allow the Radon to off-gas naturally into the air. And the Sun provides an additional disinfection process.
Of course the PWB is not about providing safe and clean water, it's all about using public assets and revenue to redistribute wealth to it's corporate buddies in exchange for campaign contributions, future job opportunities, and who knows what else.
Posted by Tim | February 25, 2012 12:59 PM
Lucky?
PWB spending more money on "groundwater" events this summer convincing us just how lucky we are!
http://www.portlandonline.com/water/index.cfm?c=29785&a=244728
How much money does PWB spend on PR?
Posted by clinamen | February 25, 2012 1:03 PM
I grew up here, quite a long time ago. There were no problems of turbidity in the Bull Run water before the area was opened up to clear-cut logging. I wonder if there's a connection. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bull_Run_River_(Oregon)
Posted by Allan L. | February 25, 2012 1:17 PM
Tim,
Good you brought up the subject of Radon.
Makes me wonder why PWB is not addressing that critical issue, more like shoving under the rug. With all the behind the doors plans PWB has going, I don't think that rug can hold or cover much more, it is turning into a heap that cannot be straightened out properly.
On top of the rug should be a big billboard with the words in caps: TRUST HAS BEEN LOST
Posted by clinamen | February 25, 2012 1:21 PM
The Boeing plume is near, and at one time the city was not supposed to draw too much because of the danger of drawing the plume toward water-users, including residential wells and other jurisdictions. Is the state DEQ supposed to be watching this? If so, what do they have to say about this? Just wondering.
Posted by JadeQueen | February 27, 2012 5:49 PM
Nobody at DEQ is watching that. "Resource protection" is the jurisdiction of the state Health Department. It's unclear that they have paid any attention to the Carollo deal.
Supposedly there are several different aquifers. The contaminated groundwater is supposedly in a different one. Good luck with that.
Posted by Jack Bog | February 28, 2012 5:31 AM
I think it is time the public presses PWB about their intentions.
They give the public the idea that a variance from the treatment plant from the state is in the works, yet they work on getting permits for that plant.
They are planning events for the public to "appreciate" that groundwater, how much more of it do they intend for us to drink?
I heard that as a result of their plans, we would end up drinking 30% more groundwater from the wells?
What are their plans?
How do they let the public know when they turn off our Bull Run water or start a blend of groundwater with Bull Run?
Posted by clinamen | February 28, 2012 8:16 AM