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Bend council adopts Outback facility plan, backing pretreatment work and in‑conduit hydropower study
Summary
The Bend City Council adopted a 2026 Outback facility plan to boost drinking‑water resiliency with pretreatment infrastructure, an in‑conduit hydropower concept, space for future PFAS treatment, and a proposed 48‑acre expansion; staff will pursue federal grants and next‑step design work.
The Bend City Council on May 20 adopted the 2026 Outback facility plan, a multi‑year master plan that staff said priorities pretreatment capacity, an in‑conduit hydropower energy‑dissipation approach and site expansion to bolster the city’s surface‑water treatment resiliency.
Engineers told the council the Outback site treats the city’s surface water and sits high above Bend, which allows gravity‑fed operations that lower energy use. Presenters described two immediate priority projects: a pretreatment system (a sedimentation pond and plate‑settler facility) designed to keep the microfiltration plant operating during heavy turbidity events, and an in‑conduit hydropower facility that would capture pressure energy now dissipated into the atmosphere. Staff estimated the hydropower configuration could produce roughly the annual equivalent to powering about 750 homes but emphasized the system would only generate energy to meet the water system’s needs, not to expand water use.
Why it matters: the plan responds to wildfire and watershed risks that can cause sharp increases in turbidity and force the filtration plant offline, leaving groundwater as the only source. The presentation said the plan also reserves space and phasing to add PFAS treatment if monitoring later detects that need, and proposes relocating Forest Service Road 4606 to preserve public access while securing a site entrance for the utility.
Funding and next steps: staff listed potential funding sources including FEMA’s BRIC program (the city applied in 2024 but was not selected), and the federal water‑infrastructure WIFIA lending program. Presenters said separating pretreatment and hydropower into distinct BRIC‑scale projects could improve competitiveness. Council instructed staff to continue design work and pursue grant and loan opportunities; staff will return with more detailed designs and cost updates as projects advance.
Council action: a councilor moved to adopt the resolution to approve the Outback facility plan; the motion was seconded and the council voted in favor. Staff said the plan provides 30% preliminary designs for pretreatment and hydropower to strengthen future grant applications.
What remains unresolved: presenters described several site options and longer‑term reservoir decisions that will require additional study; staff also said the city is pursuing a land‑acquisition process with the U.S. Forest Service under the Town Site Act for an adjacent 48‑acre parcel. Financial details for later phases will be refined in subsequent budgeting and grant applications.
