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Consultants tell Estacada Planning Commission city needs near‑term fixes and funding to avoid water shortfalls
Summary
Consultants said the water plant is near capacity and recommended a two‑pronged approach: aggressive leak detection/conservation now and a membrane‑based plant upgrade funded over about two years; consultants identified reclaimed (processed) water and negotiating with PGE for Timothy Lake as possible longer‑term sources.
Consultants Curt McLeod and Ed Hodges told the Estacada Planning Commission on Sept. 18 that the city’s water system is approaching capacity and that a combination of immediate leak reduction and a short capital program is needed to avoid rationing.
“We are essentially out of capacity at the water plant,” McLeod said, explaining the draft water master plan and an accompanying water management/conservation plan the consultants expect to send to the state for approval.
Why it matters: The consultants said peak use this year approached the city’s production limit and that without actions the city could face curtailment under its existing plan. They recommended immediate measures to reduce distribution losses and longer‑term hardware changes that would add treated capacity in a smaller footprint.
McLeod said the current production capacity is about 1.6 million gallons per day (MGD), with a curtailment trigger at about 1.4 MGD. The consultants recommended replacing two older units at the plant with membrane treatment skids that would add roughly 2 MGD of new membrane capacity while recovering roughly 1 MGD of existing nominal capacity, producing an effective net increase under the proposal.
To bridge the next two years while funding and construction proceed, the consultants emphasized conservation actions and leak detection. McLeod said leak detection companies can locate losses and that Oregon Associated Water Utilities can provide assistance; he told the commission the city’s current unaccounted‑for losses were estimated at about 37 percent and that a realistic near‑term reduction goal might be toward 15 percent (the state guideline cited was 10 percent).
On additional raw‑water supply, the consultants said reclaimed (processed) water — treated effluent reused upstream under Oregon statutes — is an attractive option because it does not require new OWRD water‑rights permits, and that negotiating seasonal supplies with Portland General Electric for Timothy Lake releases has been used by other communities. McLeod said reclaimed water at roughly 0.5 MGD and a negotiated Timothy Lake supply could substantially extend the city’s time horizon for supply reliability.
Financing options discussed included Business Oregon revolving loan funds and system development charges (SDCs). McLeod presented an example that a 30‑year, 1 percent loan for $1 million would add about $1.45 per connection per month; a $10 million project at that rate would equate to about $14 per connection per month in his example. McLeod said the consultants will present a rates comparison to City Council when they return later in the month.
Next steps: The consultants said they will submit the conservation plan to the Oregon Water Resources Department (OWRD) for review, provide the council presentation later this month, and work with operations staff on leak detection and short‑term filter maintenance. Commissioners did not make a funding decision at the Sept. 18 meeting; the consultant said Council adoption of the master plan is anticipated in October.
