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Defining the future of sustainable infrastructure
The Water Bureau is proud to announce that its Bull Run filtration facility has earned an Envision Platinum Award, the highest level of this certification. The Institute for Sustainable Infrastructure presents the Envision Platinum Award to honor projects that demonstrate exceptional performance across a range of sustainability indicators, including quality of life, leadership, resource allocation, natural world preservation, and climate resilience.
 EPA and OHA visit Filtration construction sites
In April, staff from the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the Oregon Health Authority (OHA) visited our construction sites to check on our progress.A central theme of the day was protecting public health, maintaining interim measures until the filtration facility is complete, and proactively managing operational readiness to ensure a smooth and reliable transition from construction to active filtration. They toured the filtration facility and saw the inlet and filter basins being built. They also saw excavation work for the pipeline shaft and the tunnel entrance.
More than 300 craftworkers are on-site to construct these water system improvements, with over 11 trades supporting current work activities. As of March 2026, $754 million had been spent on the project. The project’s budget is currently $2.1 billion. The requested budget is $2.56 billion to account for the impacts of the permitting delays and land use-related suspension of construction, schedule impacts from the pause, realized risks (such as unforeseen site conditions), allowances for identified risks, and contingencies for the remaining work and anticipated changes.
Learn more at: Bull Run Filtration monthly project status | Portland.gov
 Filtration construction update
At the facility site, construction is beginning to go vertical, changing the site’s landscape. Crews are also putting in large pipes that will bring unfiltered water to the facility inlet where filtration treatment begins.
In the southeast corner of the facility site, crews are digging a pipeline shaft. Reaching the necessary 235-foot depth of the shaft requires excavating through the extremely hard Boring Lava layer encountered 180 feet below the surface. Crews began precision-engineered controlled blasting on April 28 to penetrate the lava layer, with subsequent blasts scheduled at least five days apart to ensure maximum safety.
This month, crews also brought in specialized equipment and started digging the second pipeline tunnel that will help bring unfiltered water to the filtration facility. These tunnels will connect to the pipeline shaft deep underground.
So far, crews have installed more than 10,200 linear feet of new, resilient water pipeline.
To learn more about what’s happening at the construction sites, visit Portland.gov/filtrationconstruction.
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Bull Run Filtration Project Delivery Advisory Team: Portland Utility Board meeting
At the April 7 Portland Utility Board (PUB) meeting, Public Utilities Director Dr. Ting Lu spoke about the project’s commitment to accountability and expanded transparency. Members of the PDAT also highlighted the recent construction risk review process and mitigation actions being taken, including finalizing project schedule and cost impacts from the permitting delays, advancing operational readiness planning, and making improvements to document control systems and work processes.
Visit the April 2026 Portland Utility Board meeting web page to see the meeting presentation and recording.
Public Works Committee advances bond authorization request
On April 14, Portland Public Utilities presented a request to the Public Works Committee to authorize the sale of water revenue bonds essential for the ongoing Bull Run Filtration Project. During the session, leadership provided an update on the project’s evolution, focusing on risk mitigation strategies and new measures to ensure long-term accountability and transparency. The finance team detailed how large-scale infrastructure is funded and outlined the projected impact on ratepayer costs. The bond request has now been referred to the Finance and Governance Committee of the Whole in May for further discussion.
Learn more by watching the Public Works Committee meeting.
Bull Run Filtration: neighbor update meeting (April 2026)
At the April 9 meeting, community members heard an update on pipeline and facility construction for the Bull Run Filtration Project. Topics included recent construction progress and upcoming activities at the facility site and along the pipeline routes. Visit the April 2026 Neighbor Update Meeting web page to see the meeting presentation and recording.
Bull Run Filtration: Coffee with the contractor
The Water Bureau will host an informal drop-in session where Bull Run Filtration Project neighbors can chat with representatives of the facility and pipeline construction teams, ask questions, and hear about recent progress and upcoming work. There is no presentation, so stop in anytime between 9:00 and 10:30 a.m.
Date: Thursday, May 14, 2026
Time: 9:00 to 10:30 a.m.
Where: Multnomah County Grange #71, 30639 SE Bluff Road, Gresham
Can't make it this time? Join us at the next Coffee with the Contractor event June 11, 2026.
Stay up to date on the latest construction activity:
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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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