Bull Run Treatment Projects Update

Filtration Land Use and Construction 

In January, the Land Use Board of Appeals (LUBA) upheld several Multnomah County permit approvals for the projects but remanded (sent back to Multnomah County) one County permit item related to the definition of the term “natural resources” in County code. That remand went into effect in February and the Water Bureau’s contractors paused construction.

In March, contractors completed several wind-down activities to secure active work sites. These activities included demobilizing equipment, anchoring towers, and stabilizing trenches. Just a handful of wind-down activities remain. Limited staff on-site will continue to maintain equipment and erosion control measures and manage other permit requirements while construction is paused.

Per state land use law, the County has 120 days from the start of a remand to issue a decision unless extended by the applicant (the Water Bureau). Multnomah County will hold a public hearing for the project on Wednesday, April 16, 2025, at 9 a.m. at the East County Health Center. The public can also watch and participate virtually. To learn more about the hearing, visit the County’s related land use web page.

Ask a water expert: How does filtration prepare us for emergencies? Filtration treatment is used by water providers nationwide. With an unfiltered supply, we cannot safely serve the water when large amounts of dirt or other organics enter the reservoirs. Filtration will protect public health and address known risks to our water supply. In 2017, Portland City Council unanimously selected filtration for its multiple resilience benefits. That same year, the City entered into a Bilateral Compliance Agreement with the Oregon Health Authority.  Learn more from Water Quality Engineer Mac Gifford about how the future filtration facility will prepare us to address wildfires, severe storms, and other threats to our water supply.

Neighbor Information

Stay up to date on the latest construction activity:

• Sign up for the Filtration Neighbor e-news select the “Neighbor updates” box to get an email each Friday about what is planned the following week.
• Visit the construction activity webpage for what’s happening now, what’s happening next, ongoing activities, frequently asked construction questions, and more!
• Sign up for construction traffic text notifications to get updates on road and lane closures.
• Check out ODOT’s TripCheck for project-related and other road and lane closures in the area.

Please note that planned monthly neighbor meetings have been postponed during the remand. We will continue to share regular updates through our project e-news and on our website.

To comply with federal Safe Drinking Water Act regulations, the Portland Water Bureau is planning a water filtration facility and related pipelines, and recently completed an improved corrosion control treatment facility. The Bull Run Treatment Projects will provide consistent, high-quality drinking water that meets today’s water quality standards, helps address aging infrastructure concerns and future risks and regulations, and improves system resilience to help keep our water safe and abundant for generations to come.

Learn more at portland.gov/BullRunProjects

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Traducción e Interpretación  |  Biên Dịch và Thông Dịch  |  अनुवादन तथा व्याख्या
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