About FlashAlert on Twitter:
FlashAlert utilizes the free service Twitter to distribute emergency text messages. While you are welcome to register your cell phone text message address directly into the FlashAlert system, we recommend that you simply "follow" the FlashAlert account for Portland Water Bureau by clicking on the link below and logging in to (or creating) your free Twitter account. Twitter sends messages out exceptionally fast thanks to arrangements they have made with the cell phone companies.
Click here to add Portland Water Bureau to your Twitter account or create one.
@portlandwater
Today, Thursday, Sept. 28, 2023, the Portland Water Bureau’s lead climate expert Kavita Heyn will be participating in the first-ever White House Summit on Building Climate Resilient Communities, representing the climate resilience work of water agencies, including the Water Utility Climate Alliance (WUCA).
The summit, announced by President Biden earlier this summer, will convene approximately 70 climate resilience practitioners from local, state, Tribal and other entities who are demonstrating leadership in their respective fields.
“The Portland Water Bureau is proud to be a national leader in centering climate resilience in water utility work, thanks to the work of our climate experts and our partners at the Water Utility Climate Alliance,” said Portland Water Bureau Commissioner-in-Charge Mingus Mapps. “The leadership and expertise of climate staff like Kavita Heyn are helping us invest in a sustainable, more resilient future.”
United States Senator for Oregon Jeff Merkley said, “In order to effectively work to address climate chaos, we must bring many voices to the table. The Portland Water Bureau’s work to reduce systemic inequalities and research climate resilience has made an impact in Portland, and it’s exciting that Oregon will be represented at this national opportunity to learn and share best practices.”
The Water Bureau’s 5-Year Strategic Plan and Plan to Advance Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion identify climate change as a key risk and priority action area to help accomplish the bureau’s mission of providing excellent water to Portlanders and other local water providers for generations to come.
For over twenty-five years, the Water Bureau has been studying climate resilience and making critical investments to address risks from extreme heat, wildfire, and severe weather. Here’s how:
- The bureau is developing a Net Zero Decarbonization Strategy to actively reduce the carbon emissions of the water system and meet the goals of the City of Portland Climate Emergency.
- Investing in ongoing maintenance of Portland’s secondary source, the Columbia South Shore Well Field groundwater system, is a critical supply resilience tool that supports the bureau’s ability to continue serving water if there are service disruptions to the Bull Run Watershed.
- The Portland Water Bureau is actively preparing to respond to wildfires. While the bureau does not have a direct firefighting role, staff work closely with local fire departments, the US Forest Service, and the Oregon Department of Forestry to provide critical information about our facilities and operations to help support first responders.
- The bureau prioritizes the health and safety of employees who work outside in extreme weather by updating policies to limit exposure to wildfire smoke and extreme heat.
“The Camp Creek fire still burning mere miles away from the Bull Run Watershed makes it more important than ever that we recognize our responsibility to be leaders in climate action,” said Portland Water Bureau Director Gabriel Solmer.
“Climate change directly impacts our core mission of serving high-quality drinking water,” Solmer said. “We’re building climate resilience into our infrastructure and processes in many ways including investing in a new water filtration facility to reduce the impacts of wildfire and severe storms in the Bull Run Watershed, and by simultaneously developing a decarbonization roadmap to reduce the footprint of our water system.”
Nationwide collaboration
The invitation to share best practices at the summit is a testament to the work of climate experts like Heyn at the bureau to bring climate change work into organization-wide planning, communications, and operations.
Heyn is well-placed to represent the insights of water stakeholders as she serves as staff chair of the WUCA, a national coalition of 12 large water utilities that collectively serve 50 million Americans their drinking water.
WUCA leverages its nationwide network to collaborate with federal agencies and national partners to advance water sector climate change adaptation, greenhouse gas mitigation, and climate-equity efforts. Recent WUCA publications include a library of Leading Practices in Climate Adaptation, recommendations for adaptation to sea level rise, and engineering design and extreme heat case studies to reduce water utility climate risk exposure. Through its leadership and engagement in WUCA, the Portland Water Bureau has partnered with peer utilities to develop leading-edge practices in climate adaptation that are actionable, equitable and serve as a model for others.
Summit details
The Summit will entail a plenary session including leadership of White House offices and federal agencies, a series of breakout sessions during which invitees will discuss topics related to their area of expertise, and a reception for invitees to make connections and engage in dialogue. Attendees will include Chief Resilience Officers from several cities, climate science academic leaders, finance/insurance leaders, youth leaders and Tribal leaders.
The livestream of the event will be viewable here. The livestream will run from 9:45 AM to 12:15 PM PT. That includes the plenary session (9:45-11:15 AM) as well as a select roundtable discussion that will also be livestreamed (from 11:30-12:15 AM).
Interviews with Heyn are available upon request.
About the Portland Water Bureau
The Portland Water Bureau serves water to almost a million people in the Portland area. Portland’s water system includes two great water sources, 53 tanks and reservoirs, and 2,200 miles of pipes. With 600 employees working on everything from water treatment to customer service, the Water Bureau is committed to serving excellent water every minute of every day.
The Portland Water Bureau continues to monitor the Camp Creek Fire burning in the Bull Run Watershed, the city’s main water supply. The fire is estimated to be 2,023 acres as of the morning of September 12, and estimated containment has increased to 44 percent. The fire remains approximately 1.3 miles from Reservoir 1 and approximately 1.9 miles from the Water Bureau’s Headworks treatment facility.
Mayor Ted Wheeler expressed appreciation for the teams and individuals responding to the fire.
“I want to take this opportunity to thank the people who are working tirelessly to keep us safe and protect our water supply,” said Wheeler. “Fire containment has been steadily growing, but we have a ways to go. I want to thank the Great Basin Incident Management Team who have been leading this first response with expertise. We’re grateful to the incoming Incident Management Team who originate right here in the Pacific Northwest.”
On Monday night, ongoing management of the fire response was transferred from Great Basin Team 1 to Pacific Northwest Team 3. Personnel from the incoming team were onsite yesterday shadowing their counterparts on the outgoing team to ensure a smooth transition. Water Bureau and other City staff will continue to coordinate with the Incident Management Team regarding fire suppression activities in the watershed.
Wheeler noted, “I’m incredibly impressed with and grateful for the work being done by our City employees—Portland Fire and Rescue, the Water Bureau, Portland Emergency Management and those other bureaus who’ve stepped up to help.”
Efforts to create containment lines have been successful, with increased fire containment over the weekend and into this week. Firefighters expect that the containment level will continue to rise as the week goes on. However, fire in the watershed always poses a risk to our water supply. We continue to work closely with fire agencies to monitor the threat levels to our staff and infrastructure. The Water Bureau has developed multiple contingency plans, so we’re prepared in the event of further risk to staff and the water supply.
The Portland Water Bureau continues to monitor water quality and has yet to see any fire-related impacts to our drinking water.
No water restrictions are in place currently. If we need to reduce water use, we will ask that all Portland Water Bureau users and customers stop outdoor water use, especially for watering lawns and gardens, and reduce indoor water use when possible.
We will continue to make periodic updates to keep the public informed.
What you can do
We always encourage the public to be prepared in the event of emergencies. While the fire does not immediately threaten Portland’s water supply, it is important to stay informed, be prepared for emergencies and stay clear of the area to ensure access for emergency responders.
One way you can prepare for future emergencies is to create or update your emergency water supply. Store enough water for everyone who lives with you, including pets, to have drinking water for two weeks. The Regional Water Providers Consortium has tips to help you get started on your emergency plan.
Register for PublicAlerts. To ensure you get emergency messages quickly from public safety officials, sign up for text, phone or email updates from PublicAlerts at publicalerts.org/signup.
Follow the Water Bureau on X (Twitter) and Facebook, and visit our website, Portland.gov/water, for the latest information about water quality and supply, updates related to this incident and other Water-related news.
Information about emergency water storage is available in multiple languages on the Regional Water Providers Consortium website.
Water Bureau will continue to rely on two water sources
On Thursday, August 24, we activated our groundwater supply to augment the Bull Run supply during the hot and dry summer. At this time, the bureau will continue to rely on a blend of water from the Bull Run Watershed and our groundwater source, the Columbia South Shore Well Field.
About the Portland Water Bureau
The Portland Water Bureau serves water to almost a million people in the Portland area. Portland’s water system includes two great water sources, 53 tanks and reservoirs, and 2,200 miles of pipes. With 600 employees working on everything from water treatment to customer service, the Water Bureau is committed to serving excellent water every minute of every day.
The Portland Water Bureau continues to monitor the spread of the Camp Creek Fire burning in the Bull Run Watershed, the city’s main water supply. The fire is estimated to be 1,940 acres and 16 percent contained as of the morning of September 7. The fire is approximately 1.3 miles from Reservoir 1 and approximately 1.9 miles from the Water Bureau’s Headworks treatment facility.
This week’s rainfall slowed the growth and rate of fire spread, but the fire continues to smolder and creep along moss and forest duff under the thick canopy of trees. Fire in the watershed always poses a risk to our water supply, and weather conditions can change quickly. We continue to work closely with fire agencies to monitor the threat levels to our staff and infrastructure. We’re developing multiple contingency plans, so we are prepared in the event of further risk to staff and the water supply.
The Portland Water Bureau continues to monitor water quality and has yet to see any fire-related impacts in our drinking water.
No water restrictions are in place currently. If we need to reduce water use, we will ask that all Portland Water Bureau users and customers stop outdoor water use, especially for watering lawns and gardens, and reduce indoor water use when possible.
We will continue to make periodic updates to keep the public informed. Our next media release will be on Monday, September 11.
What you can do
We always encourage the public to be prepared in the event of emergencies. While the fire does not immediately threaten Portland’s water supply, it is important to stay informed, be prepared for emergencies and stay clear of the area to ensure access for emergency responders.
One way you can prepare for future emergencies is to create or update your emergency water supply. Store enough water for everyone who lives with you, including pets, to have drinking water for two weeks. The Regional Water Providers Consortium has tips to help you get started on your emergency plan.
Register for PublicAlerts. To ensure you get emergency messages quickly from public safety officials, sign up for text, phone, or email updates from PublicAlerts at publicalerts.org/signup.
Follow the Water Bureau on X (Twitter) and Facebook, and visit our website, Portland.gov/water, for the latest information about water quality and supply, updates related to this incident and other Water-related news.
Information about emergency water storage is available in multiple languages on the Regional Water Providers Consortium website.
Water Bureau will continue to rely on two water sources
On Thursday, Aug. 24, we activated our groundwater supply to augment the Bull Run supply during the hot and dry summer. At this time, the bureau will continue to rely on a blend of water from the Bull Run Watershed and our groundwater source, the Columbia South Shore Well Field.
About the Portland Water Bureau
The Portland Water Bureau serves water to almost a million people in the Portland area. Portland’s water system includes two great water sources, 53 tanks and reservoirs, and 2,200 miles of pipes. With 600 employees working on everything from water treatment to customer service, the Water Bureau is committed to serving excellent water every minute of every day.
The Portland Water Bureau continues to monitor the spread of the Camp Creek Fire burning in the Bull Run Watershed, the city’s main water supply. The fire is estimated to be 1,902 acres and 16 percent contained as of the morning of September 5. The fire is approximately 1.3 miles from Reservoir 1 and approximately 1.9 miles from the Water Bureau’s Headworks treatment facility.
Yesterday’s rainfall has slowed the growth and rate of fire spread, but the fire continues to smolder and creep along moss and forest duff under the thick canopy of trees. Fire in the watershed always poses a risk to our water supply, and weather conditions can change quickly. We continue to work closely with fire agencies to monitor the threat levels to our staff and infrastructure. We’re developing multiple contingency plans, so we are prepared in the event of further risk to staff and the water supply.
The Portland Water Bureau continues to monitor water quality and has yet to see any fire-related impacts in our drinking water. As always, we encourage the public to be prepared in case of emergencies. Information about emergency water storage is available in multiple languages on the Regional Water Providers Consortium website. Signing up for email updates from PublicAlerts at publicalerts.org/signup is one way members of the public can ensure they receive timely emergency messages from public officials.
The Water Bureau will continue to make periodic updates to keep the public informed.
What you can do
While the fire does not immediately threaten Portland’s water supply, it is important to stay informed, be prepared for emergencies and stay clear of the area to ensure access for emergency responders.
No water restrictions are in place currently. If we need to reduce water use, we will ask that all Portland Water Bureau users and customers stop outdoor water use, especially for watering lawns and gardens, and reduce indoor water use when possible.
Register for PublicAlerts. To ensure you get emergency messages quickly from public safety officials, sign up for text, phone, or email updates from PublicAlerts at publicalerts.org/signup.
Follow the Water Bureau on X (Twitter) and Facebook, and visit our website, Portland.gov/water, for the latest information about water quality and supply, updates related to this incident and other Water-related news.
Information about emergency water storage is available in multiple languages on the Regional Water Providers Consortium website.
Water Bureau will continue to rely on two water sources
On Thursday, Aug. 24, we activated our groundwater supply to augment the Bull Run supply during the hot and dry summer. At this time, the bureau will continue to rely on a blend of water from the Bull Run Watershed and our groundwater source, the Columbia South Shore Well Field.
About the Portland Water Bureau
The Portland Water Bureau serves water to almost a million people in the Portland area. Portland’s water system includes two great water sources, 53 tanks and reservoirs, and 2,200 miles of pipes. With 600 employees working on everything from water treatment to customer service, the Water Bureau is committed to serving excellent water every minute of every day.
These detections are from routine monitoring and are not related to the Camp Creek Fire currently burning in the Bull Run Watershed.
Since 2017, the Portland Water Bureau has detected low levels of Cryptosporidium from routine monitoring of source water. The Portland Water Bureau received results from ongoing monitoring from the Bull Run Watershed intake for Cryptosporidium, a potentially disease-causing microorganism. In the 50 liters sampled each day from Aug. 27 to Aug. 30, one Cryptosporidium oocyst was detected in a sample collected on Aug 28 and a sample collected on Aug 29. Cryptosporidium was not detected in the samples collected on Aug. 27, or Aug 30. Prior to this detection, Cryptosporidium was last detected from the Bull Run Watershed intake on Aug. 20, 2023.
The Bull Run watershed is Portland’s primary source of drinking water. The Portland Water Bureau does not currently treat for Cryptosporidium, but is required to do so under drinking water regulations. Portland is working to install filtration by September 2027 under a compliance schedule with the Oregon Health Authority. In the meantime, Portland Water Bureau is implementing interim measures such as watershed protection and additional monitoring to protect public health. Consultation with public health officials has concluded that at this time, customers do not need to take any additional precautions.
Exposure to Cryptosporidium can cause cryptosporidiosis, a serious illness. Symptoms can include diarrhea, vomiting, fever and stomach pain. People with healthy immune systems recover without medical treatment. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), people with severely weakened immune systems are at risk for more serious disease. Symptoms may be more severe and could lead to serious or life-threatening illness. Examples of people with weakened immune systems include those with AIDS, those with inherited diseases that affect the immune system, and cancer and transplant patients who are taking certain immunosuppressive drugs.
The Environmental Protection Agency has estimated that a small percentage of the population could experience gastro-intestinal illness from Cryptosporidium and advises that customers who are immunocompromised and receive their drinking water from the Bull Run Watershed consult with their healthcare professional about the safety of drinking the tap water. The Portland Water Bureau and Burlington, City of Gresham, City of Sandy, City of Tualatin, Green Valley, GNR, Hideaway Hills, Lake Grove, Lorna Domestic Water, Lusted, Palatine Hill, Pleasant Home, Raleigh, Rockwood, Skyview Acres, Tualatin Valley, Two Rivers, Valley View and West Slope Water Districts receive all or part of their drinking water supply from Bull Run. To learn if your drinking water comes from Bull Run, please contact your local drinking water provider.
The public and the media are encouraged to view all sampling results posted to the City’s website at portland.gov/water/cryptoresults. The bureau will notify the media and public immediately should further test results indicate a risk to public health and precautions are necessary.
Customers with questions regarding water quality can call the Water Quality Line at 503-823-7525.
About the Portland Water Bureau
The Portland Water Bureau serves water to almost a million people in the Portland area. Portland’s water system includes two great water sources, 53 tanks and reservoirs, and 2,200 miles of pipes. With 600 employees working on everything from water treatment to customer service, the Water Bureau is committed to serving excellent water every minute of every day.
The Portland Water Bureau continues to monitor the spread of the Camp Creek Fire burning in the Bull Run Watershed, the city’s main water supply. The fire is estimated to be 1,869 acres and zero percent contained based on infrared imaging from the night of August 30. The fire is approximately 1.3 miles from Reservoir 1 and approximately 1.9 miles from the Water Bureau’s Headworks treatment facility.
The cooler, moist weather has dampened fire behavior, but the fire continues to burn steadily inside the thick canopy of trees. Fire in the watershed always poses a risk to our water supply, and weather conditions can change quickly. We continue to work closely with fire agencies to monitor the threat levels to our staff and infrastructure. We’re developing multiple contingency plans, so we are prepared in the event of further risk to staff and the water supply.
Some of those contingencies could require a reduction in water use. Any scenario in which we need to turn off the Bull Run water supply (our primary water supply) would mean relying on 100 percent groundwater. There are two primary scenarios that we are watching closely that would lead us to require water reductions:
- The evacuation of the Headworks treatment facility or
- Severe turbidity (sediment suspended in the water) from seasonal rainfall
We frequently see increased turbidity during the fall rainy season, but it can also be caused or exacerbated by the effects of fire in the watershed.
The Water Bureau has been augmenting the Bull Run water supply with groundwater from the Columbia South Shore Well Field since August 24 due to seasonal supply needs. The Water Bureau continues to deliver a blend of Bull Run water and groundwater at this time.
“We are very lucky to have two high-quality water sources, and right now we are able to utilize both of them to meet our water needs,” said Gabriel Solmer, Water Bureau Director. “Should that change—should we be unable to use the Bull Run water supply—we would need to rely on our groundwater system alone. Groundwater is an excellent water source, but it cannot meet our full summer demand without a reduction in water use. In that case we would ask for help from our customers to reduce water use so we can continue to meet essential needs.”
The Portland Water Bureau continues to monitor water quality and has yet to see any fire-related impacts in our drinking water.
The Portland Water Bureau has been working closely with the agencies in charge of fighting the fire since first alerted to the blaze. Agencies include the U.S. Forest Service, the Oregon Department of Forestry, and local fire departments. A national Incident Management Team took over joint fire command on August 27. The Portland Water Bureau does not have a direct firefighting role but is integrated into the Incident Management Team to provide critical information about the watershed, our facilities and our operations to help support and guide the ongoing fire response.
The Water Bureau will continue to make periodic updates to keep the public informed.
What you can do
While the fire does not immediately threaten Portland’s water supply, it is important to stay informed, be prepared for emergencies and stay clear of the area to ensure access for emergency responders.
No water restrictions are in place currently. If we need to reduce water use, we will ask that all Portland Water Bureau users and customers stop outdoor water use, especially for watering lawns and gardens, and reduce indoor water use when possible. To ensure you get emergency messages quickly from public safety officials, sign up for email updates from PublicAlerts at publicalerts.org/signup.
Follow the Water Bureau on X (Twitter) and Facebook, and visit our website, Portland.gov/water, for the latest information about water quality and supply, updates related to this incident and other Water-related news.
Information about emergency water storage is available in multiple languages on the Regional Water Providers Consortium website.
Water Bureau will continue to rely on two water sources
On Thursday, Aug. 24, we activated our groundwater supply to augment the Bull Run supply during the hot and dry summer. At this time, the bureau will continue to rely on a blend of water from the Bull Run Watershed and our groundwater source, the Columbia South Shore Well Field.
About the Portland Water Bureau
The Portland Water Bureau serves water to almost a million people in the Portland area. Portland’s water system includes two great water sources, 53 tanks and reservoirs, and 2,200 miles of pipes. With 600 employees working on everything from water treatment to customer service, the Water Bureau is committed to serving excellent water every minute of every day.
The Portland Water Bureau continues to monitor the spread of the Camp Creek Fire burning in the Bull Run Watershed, the city’s main water supply. The fire is estimated to be 1,969 acres and zero percent contained based on field observation from the night of August 29. The fire is approximately 1.3 miles from Reservoir 1 and approximately 2.1 miles from the Water Bureau’s Headworks treatment facility.
Weather forecasts predict stable conditions that are expected to keep fire growth manageable. However, fire in the watershed always poses a risk to our water supply, and weather conditions can change quickly. We continue to work closely with fire agencies to monitor the threat levels to our staff and infrastructure. We’re developing multiple contingency plans, so we are prepared in the event of further risk to staff and the water supply.
“We’re so grateful that our water supply is currently safe, thanks to the efforts of our fire responders and our partners around the region” said Gabriel Solmer, Water Bureau Director. “If the fire puts the supply at risk, or if rain in the watershed brings a lot of sediment to the reservoirs, we may need to rely only on our limited groundwater. Groundwater is an excellent water source, but it cannot meet all of our current summer demand. Should we get to that position, we will ask for everyone’s help to reduce their water use.”
The Portland Water Bureau continues to monitor water quality and has yet to see any fire-related impacts in our drinking water.
Fire retardants were used in limited areas during the initial attack on Friday, August 25, to support fire suppression efforts and protect the Bull Run Watershed. Fire retardants may be used again to support firefighting efforts. Agencies deploying retardant are aware of the expectation to avoid defined exclusion zones that drain into the Bull Run Reservoirs to protect water quality. The Portland Water Bureau will continue to monitor for potential impacts to water quality.
The Portland Water Bureau has been working closely with the agencies in charge of fighting these fires since first alerted to the blaze. The U.S. Forest Service, Oregon Department of Forestry (ODF), and local fire response agencies are on the scene and have activated a ground crew and aerial resources, including helicopters and water-scooper aircraft, to combat the fire. The Portland Water Bureau does not have a direct firefighting role but provides critical information about the watershed, its facilities and its operations to support the Forest Service in their response in the area.
The Water Bureau will continue to make periodic updates to keep the public informed.
What you can do
While the fire does not immediately threaten Portland’s water supply, it is important to stay informed, be prepared for emergencies and stay clear of the area to ensure access for emergency responders.
No water restrictions are in place currently. If we need to reduce water use, we will ask that all Portland Water Bureau users and customers limit outdoor water uses, especially for watering lawns and gardens, and reduce indoor water use when possible. To ensure you get emergency messages quickly from public safety officials, sign up for email updates from PublicAlerts at publicalerts.org/signup.
Follow the Water Bureau on X (Twitter) and Facebook, and visit our website, Portland.gov/water, for the latest information about water quality and supply, updates related to this incident and other Water-related news.
Information about emergency water storage is available in multiple languages on the Regional Water Providers Consortium website.
Water Bureau will continue to rely on two water sources
On Thursday, Aug. 24, we activated our groundwater supply to augment the Bull Run supply during the hot and dry summer. At this time, the bureau will continue to rely on a blend of water from the Bull Run Watershed and our groundwater source, the Columbia South Shore Well Field.
About the Portland Water Bureau
The Portland Water Bureau serves water to almost a million people in the Portland area. Portland’s water system includes two great water sources, 53 tanks and reservoirs, and 2,200 miles of pipes. With 600 employees working on everything from water treatment to customer service, the Water Bureau is committed to serving excellent water every minute of every day.