Multnomah County approves $4 million interfund loan for Elk Rock pump station replacement

The Multnomah County Board of Commissioners at its regular meeting approved a $4 million interfund loan from the county's risk management fund to the Dunthorpe Riverdale Service District to fund construction of the Elk Rock Pump Station replacement.

County Chief Financial Officer Eric Cariano told the board the interfund loan would be authorized by resolution and that a separate budget modification would be required to appropriate the funds. "The request on this particular agenda item is to authorize through resolution an interfund loan from Multnomah County to the district ... in the amount of $4,000,000," Cariano said.

The loan supports a larger capital project shared with the City of Portland to replace a pump station Cariano and Department of Community Services staff said is about 54 years old and no longer meets service levels. "The pump station's 54 [years] old, and it's not meeting the service levels," said Chet Hagen, program manager in the Department of Community Services. Hagen said the station lacks sufficient on-site storage capacity to prevent sewage overflows and that the district and city both use the facility.

Why it matters: County staff said the total estimated project cost is $11.2 million, of which the Dunthorpe Riverdale Service District's share is $8.8 million. Staff said construction has started and is expected to be completed in fiscal year 2027, with a…