Yamhill committee weighs faster McMinnville hookup versus longer Hillsboro plan for water redundancy

YAMHILL — Members of the Yamhill Water Advisory Committee spent the bulk of their meeting weighing two regional supply options for the city: a near-term connection to McMinnville Water and Light (referred to in the meeting as “Mac Water and Light”) and a longer, more capital‑intensive hookup to Hillsboro.

Committee members said McMinnville representatives indicated an aggressive time frame, with one attendee noting McMinnville could deliver a connection “in roughly 2 years” under the right conditions; by contrast, members estimated a Hillsboro connection would take “at least 10 years.” The group emphasized those are planning estimates discussed in the meeting and not contractual commitments.

The committee framed the comparison around three questions they agreed to answer before the next meeting: How quickly can each connection be completed? What will construction cost the city? What will monthly user costs be once the city is buying treated water? Members asked staff to get firm answers from both utilities so the committee can forward a recommendation to city council.

Why it matters: Yamhill’s aging distribution and treatment infrastructure, limited local capture…