Some of the data listed is derived from the Portland Water Bureau (PWB) web address:
portlandoregon.gov/water/77548
Under the link “Bull Run Filtration Plant Preferred Alternatives Report”
portlandoregon.gov/water/77548
Under the link “Bull Run Filtration Plant Preferred Alternatives Report”
Where is the site?
The Carpenter Lane site is beautiful and productive farmland located in east Multnomah county between Gresham and Sandy. The property is zoned agricultural and requires approval and exceptions through land use hearings.
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Why a filtration plant? Is it really necessary?
The PWB likes to promote that the EPA mandated that they build a filtration plant to treat the water but this is simply not true. The EPA mandates (LT2 Rule) that the water be treated to protect from cryptosporidium but provides several choices for the treatment method to be used. UV, Ozone and Filtration are all methods fully acceptable to the EPA. What Portland did was to CHOOSE filtration which is the more complex, costly, and least environmentally-friendly method.
How much will your rates increase? See Costs
What are the construction details and impacts? (From the PWB study documents.)
"For a 160 mgd [million gallons per day] facility, PWB Consultant reports indicate that construction will require approximately 123,000 truck trips, and consume 276,000 gallons of fuel."
(HDR Technical Memorandum, 9/11/18, Sections 6.4 and 6.12).
The construction phase is projected to last four to five years. Assuming a five-day workweek for an average of four and a half years of construction, we're talking about 109.3 truck trips per day. That is every work day for four and a half years!
The “Basin Depth” for the flocculation chambers is 18.73’; the “Dissolved Air Flotation” basin depth is 21’.
To connect the proposed to the existing conduits, an estimated 2.5 to 4.0 miles of new linking conduits must be installed. These massive conduits will not only cost hundreds of millions of dollars but will tear through roads, tunnel under streams, and across many properties. (HDR Technical Memo, 9/11/18, Section 5.1). The necessary conduits required to connect to primary conduit 5 (to the south; Bluff Rd.) is unknown.
Two conduits, 66" to 96" in diameter, are required to connect the new facility to Lusted Rd. conduits. PWB Has updated this to show use of 96" conduits. (Bull Run Treatment Decision Project”, pg. 2).
The planned filtration site is currently accessed via the Carpenter Lane ROW, which is a single-lane, unimproved road. "....this road will either need to be widened and improved or a new access route established to the site, perhaps from SE Dodge Park Boulevard or from the south via an easement.” Note that ‘from the south’ means Bluff Road. (HDR Technical Memo, 9/11/18, Section 5.1) ..."
(HDR Technical Memorandum, 9/11/18, Sections 6.4 and 6.12).
The construction phase is projected to last four to five years. Assuming a five-day workweek for an average of four and a half years of construction, we're talking about 109.3 truck trips per day. That is every work day for four and a half years!
The “Basin Depth” for the flocculation chambers is 18.73’; the “Dissolved Air Flotation” basin depth is 21’.
To connect the proposed to the existing conduits, an estimated 2.5 to 4.0 miles of new linking conduits must be installed. These massive conduits will not only cost hundreds of millions of dollars but will tear through roads, tunnel under streams, and across many properties. (HDR Technical Memo, 9/11/18, Section 5.1). The necessary conduits required to connect to primary conduit 5 (to the south; Bluff Rd.) is unknown.
Two conduits, 66" to 96" in diameter, are required to connect the new facility to Lusted Rd. conduits. PWB Has updated this to show use of 96" conduits. (Bull Run Treatment Decision Project”, pg. 2).
The planned filtration site is currently accessed via the Carpenter Lane ROW, which is a single-lane, unimproved road. "....this road will either need to be widened and improved or a new access route established to the site, perhaps from SE Dodge Park Boulevard or from the south via an easement.” Note that ‘from the south’ means Bluff Road. (HDR Technical Memo, 9/11/18, Section 5.1) ..."
What are the operational characteristics?
“Process waste” (solids) of 15 to 55 pounds per million gallons (1.2 to 4.4 tons per day for 160 mgd), and filter backwash of 3 to 10% (5 to 16 mgd). (“Filtration Facility Site Considerations”, pg. 5, April, 2009) Reject water discharged to the “...federally-protected Sandy River.” (Bull Run Treatment Decision Project, pg. 11)
The Carpenter Lane site is large enough to accommodate settlement ponds. Discharge to Sandy River would require easements, piping, and permits. (Ibid ref) PWB said that the "rumor" that the discharge from the plant was going into the Sandy River was incorrect. That "rumor" was a recommendation from two of their highly paid consultants, written less than a year ago and part of the public records documents online.
For a 160 mgd [million gallons per day] facility, 8,200 dry tons of chemicals will typically be used per year. (HDR Technical Memorandum, 9/11/18, Sec. 6.13) Assuming 10 tons per truckload, that equates to about 3.3 truckloads per day.
“Safety and operations are based on the volume of chemicals stored and used in a given treatment facility. Increased quantities are assumed to result in more handling and maintenance and increase the risk of accidents.” (ibid reference)
From “Granular Media Filtration Cost Estimate” (CH2M) dated 08/31/18, possible chemical inputs: liquid oxygen (ozone), aluminum sulfate, “liquid polymer”, sodium hypochlorite, salt, sodium hydroxide, manganese, ferric chloride, hydrochloric acid, aqueous ammonia, hydrogen peroxide, sodium bisulfate, liquid chlorine...."
The Carpenter Lane site is large enough to accommodate settlement ponds. Discharge to Sandy River would require easements, piping, and permits. (Ibid ref) PWB said that the "rumor" that the discharge from the plant was going into the Sandy River was incorrect. That "rumor" was a recommendation from two of their highly paid consultants, written less than a year ago and part of the public records documents online.
For a 160 mgd [million gallons per day] facility, 8,200 dry tons of chemicals will typically be used per year. (HDR Technical Memorandum, 9/11/18, Sec. 6.13) Assuming 10 tons per truckload, that equates to about 3.3 truckloads per day.
“Safety and operations are based on the volume of chemicals stored and used in a given treatment facility. Increased quantities are assumed to result in more handling and maintenance and increase the risk of accidents.” (ibid reference)
From “Granular Media Filtration Cost Estimate” (CH2M) dated 08/31/18, possible chemical inputs: liquid oxygen (ozone), aluminum sulfate, “liquid polymer”, sodium hypochlorite, salt, sodium hydroxide, manganese, ferric chloride, hydrochloric acid, aqueous ammonia, hydrogen peroxide, sodium bisulfate, liquid chlorine...."
What is the project timeline?
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According to the PWB’s webpage “Project Schedule”:
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