Construction on the Bull Run Filtration Project is poised to resume after a lengthy halt caused by a ruling from Oregon’s Land Use Board of Appeals in January.
The $2.134 billion project, overseen by the Portland Water Bureau, was unexpectedly stopped in February, leading to significant delays in construction that had already commenced on city property located south of Oxbow Regional Park.
The project was particularly critical as it aims to ensure the treatment of Portland’s water supply to meet Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) standards after the microorganism Cryptosporidium was detected.
This organism, which can live in water, food, or soil, has the potential to cause severe gastrointestinal issues, and while there have been no reported cases of illness related to cryptosporidium in U.S. water supplies, the EPA is enforcing compliance under the Safe Drinking Water Act of 1974.
Originally, the bureau could have chosen a less expensive solution by using ultraviolet light for water treatment.
However, with an eye toward long-term resilience, they opted for a more robust facility, designed to withstand challenges such as wildfires, landslides, and flooding.
This decision is underscored by the history of the Bull Run Watershed and the effects of previous logging practices, which, after heavy rainfall in 1996, led to significant water contamination due to excessive sedimentation from erosion.
With the recent Camp Creek Fire burning over 2,000 acres within the 65,000-acre watershed, the risk of soil erosion becoming a future issue remains.
When construction began in June 2024, it was met with immediate and vocal opposition from local residents.
Signs reading “Help Stop Filtration Plant” dotted the nearby properties, and significant community pushback followed when a local planning organization filed an appeal against the project.
Concerns were primarily voiced by the Oregon Association of Nurseries, which argued that Powell Butte in Gresham would have been a more suitable location for the filtration facility rather than the current rural Eastern Multnomah County site.
While there are broader concerns regarding the costs associated with Portland’s water, many of the arguments made by opponents focused purely on technical land use issues.
The appeal raised several points, one of which was accepted by LUBA, prompting a ruling that required Multnomah County to reevaluate its land use permit approval in light of the definition of “natural resources.”
On April 15, a public hearing convened by Multnomah County sought to determine if the project would adversely affect those natural resources, with union leaders advocating for a return to construction.
Conversely, local residents expressed their objections during the hearing.
Despite these concerns, the area surrounding the project site is characterized more by ranch houses and operational nurseries than by untouched nature, which includes heavy machinery and trucks common on the rural roads.
The six-month delay induced by the legal challenges means that the project timeline has shifted, pushing work originally scheduled for the dry season into the potentially challenging rainy months.
This change could lead to increased costs and logistical difficulties as construction activities continue.
The Portland Water Bureau aims to complete the Bull Run Filtration Project by September 30, 2027, to avoid financial penalties from the EPA.
With the restart of construction imminent, the local union workforce, which includes approximately 466 workers and 16 contractors, hopes to see job stability return after a period of uncertainty.
Portland Water Bureau’s investment in this filtration project reflects a long-term vision that prioritizes water quality and resilience against environmental challenges, ensuring that the city can maintain its status as one of the providers of the cleanest drinking water in the U.S.
As construction resumes, it will be interesting to see how city planners and union leaders navigate the community’s concerns while moving forward with this essential infrastructure project.
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