Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Water Infrastructure topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Committee hears bill to inventory Oregon water infrastructure and study funding options
Summary
A House committee heard testimony on House Bill 3570, which would direct state agencies to produce an inventory of water and wastewater infrastructure and to study funding models and revenue options to address years of underinvestment.
The House Committee on Housing and Homelessness held a public hearing Monday on House Bill 3570, a measure that would direct Business Oregon to develop and regularly update an inventory of community water and wastewater infrastructure and require legislative offices to study funding models and revenue options to support those systems.
Proponents told the committee chronic underinvestment has left many systems aging and underfunded. "At least half of the water infrastructure in the state of all sizes is either halfway through or nearing its end of life," Representative Ken Helm (House District 27) said, calling HB 3570 "like a study bill on steroids." Representative Mark Owens (House District 60) said the bill reflects years of water-caucus work and asked agencies to identify what they could do without additional funding.
The bill, as described by committee staff, would assign the Oregon Business Development Department (Business Oregon) responsibility for an infrastructure inventory, charge the Legislative Policy and Research Office with preparing a report describing funding needs and models for community water infrastructure, and direct the Legislative Revenue Office to prepare a revenue-options report to support drinking water, wastewater and stormwater projects.
Speakers cited national and state studies posing large capital needs. Committee testimony referenced a U.S. Environmental Protection Agency estimate of roughly $655 billion over 20 years to maintain, upgrade or replace water and wastewater infrastructure nationwide and additional trillions for climate adaptation; a 2021 League of Oregon Cities estimate that Oregon cities face about $23 billion in water infrastructure costs over 20 years; and a 2024 Legislative Policy and Research Office finding that lack of access to funding is a major factor affecting water affordability.
Representatives questioned the fiscal impact and whether the studies would require new revenue. Chair Marsh asked whether agencies could identify work they could accomplish without new money; Representative Owens responded that proponents would ask agency representatives to describe what is feasible within existing resources. Michael Martin, who identified himself as the League of Oregon Cities' lobbyist for water and wastewater issues, said cities and special districts already collect survey data but responses are incomplete and a statewide, standardized inventory would better capture needs.
No committee vote was taken on HB 3570 during the hearing. Committee members emphasized urgency given rising construction and materials costs and the planning needed to support housing and other development that depends on reliable water systems.
Looking ahead, proponents urged coordinated state, local and federal efforts to prioritize projects and to aggregate data that could guide funding decisions.
