Estacada reviews 90% design for wastewater plant; council told DEQ technical sign‑off and bidding are imminent

Estacada City Council workshop — Engineers from Kennedy Jenks and Slaton Constructors presented a 90% design update for the city’s new wastewater treatment plant, told council members the Oregon Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) has approved procurement and bid packages but is still completing a technical review, and outlined a tentative schedule to put the project out to bid within one to two weeks.

The update described the plant layout, treatment process and site amenities. The headworks will feed a pump station that delivers flow to a membrane bioreactor (MBR) for secondary treatment, followed by filtration and ultraviolet disinfection before discharge to the river. Solids will be routed to an aerobic digester to reduce odors and the volume of solids; solids will then be dewatered, stored in dumpsters and hauled off-site. Planned support buildings include a dewatering/equipment building with a shop and electrical room, an odor-control unit using wood-chip/sand media, and a prefabricated administration building.

Why it matters: the project replaces aging infrastructure, affects a visible riverside site near Portal Park, and requires state and federal permitting and long‑lead equipment purchases. Council members focused on visual screening, on‑site storage for city equipment, construction timing and potential cost risks.

Design, landscaping…