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 Filtration construction and land use remand update
In January, the Land Use Board of Appeals (LUBA) upheld several Multnomah County permit approvals for the filtration facility and pipelines 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 Portland Water Bureau’s contractors paused construction. Limited staff are at the construction sites maintaining equipment and erosion control measures and managing other permit requirements while construction is paused.
On April 16, Multnomah County conducted a hearing for the remand. At that hearing, the Portland Water Bureau and others supporting and opposing the project provided presentations and testimony related to the remand issue. The process and deadlines for the remainder of the remand were also set, and the hearing officer’s decision is expected by June 25, 2025.
To view the hearing and learn more about the remand process, visit the County’s related land use web page.
 Benefits of filtration
As we continue through the remand process, some people have asked why we need to filter the Bull Run water supply and what the benefits are of doing so. Bull Run filtration is needed to comply with federal and state safe drinking water regulations and remove the disease-causing microorganism Cryptosporidium from our water supply. We’re required to have the filtration facility online by September 30, 2027, as part of our compliance agreement with the Oregon Health Authority. In 2017, the Portland City Council selected filtration treatment because it will provide a range of future benefits, including:
- Making our water safer by removing microorganisms from our drinking water
- Removing sediment that could make water from the Bull Run reservoirs temporarily unusable after storms, fires, and other natural events
- Reducing regulated compounds that can cause cancer (disinfection byproducts) by removing organics in the water
- Providing consistent, high-quality drinking water
- Preparing us to better respond to future water quality regulations
Check out the Benefits of Filtration: Safe Water After a Disaster video to learn more about how filtration will increase the reliability of the Bull Run supply by significantly reducing the risk of a shutdown.
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Stay up to date on the latest construction activity:
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.
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About the Bull Run Treatment Projects
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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Know someone who would be interested in updates about the Bull Run Treatment Projects?
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The City of Portland is committed to providing meaningful access. To request translation, interpretation, modifications, accommodations, or other auxiliary aids or services, contact 503-823-7432, Relay: 711.
Traducción e Interpretación | Biên Dịch và Thông Dịch | अनुवादन तथा व्याख्या
口笔译服务 | Устный и письменный перевод | Turjumaad iyo Fasiraad
Письмовий і усний переклад | Traducere și interpretariat | Chiaku me Awewen Kapas
Translation and Interpretation: 503-823-7432, Relay: 711
This email was sent from an unmonitored inbox. Please do not reply. Instead, contact us at bullrunprojects@portlandoregon.gov.
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