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Council approves final draft of Newport source‑water protection plan; staff to submit to DEQ
Summary
The council approved a final draft source‑water protection plan produced with a multi‑month committee and funded by a DEQ grant; staff will submit it to Oregon Department of Environmental Quality for review and finalization.
The Newport City Council voted to approve the city’s final draft drinking‑water protection plan (source‑water protection), authorizing the city manager to sign the submittal letter and forward the draft to the Oregon Department of Environmental Quality for review.
The plan is the product of roughly nine months of work by a large committee and was funded through a DEQ grant. Steve Stewart, water treatment plant supervisor and assistant public works director, told the council the document addresses the city’s water sources, seasonal use of the Siletz River and protections the city employs when river turbidity rises; he emphasized the city’s limited control over conditions on the Siletz.
Why it matters: The plan documents how the city protects source water used for municipal supply and is the next step before DEQ signs off and the plan becomes final. Councilors praised plant staff expertise and said approval shows confidence in operations.
The staff report noted the document’s length (about 145 pages) and that once signed by the city manager it will go to DEQ for their review before being finalized. Councilor Jacoby moved the approval and Councilor Emond seconded; the motion carried.
Provenance: Staff presentation, technical explanation and the motion to approve the draft appear in the meeting transcript during the department reports section and the water protection item.
