Summary of Case Studies
- Clean waters for wildlife
- Capacity shortage trouble
- When will the sewer get here?
- Worked out better than best
- A decision is needed
- Our future: A chilling prospect
Water quality, health and economy top list of benefits
A well functioning sewage treatment system offers many benefits, county residents say:
- Water protected: More than 200,000 persons get drinking water from the Clackamas River. And, the region’s streams are highly valued habitat for fish and wildlife. See what environmentalist Jim Shook says.
- Commercial development: Adding commercial and retail centers in neighborhoods means Clackamas County residents will spend less time driving, says Matt Grady of Gramor Development. “To keep people from driving long distances is what we strive for. To keep the mileage down so people can utilize their time.”
- Community building: Most citizens in Oregon’s newest city, Damascus, are on septic systems. Controlled and careful growth cannot occur in the city without building a first-class sewage treatment system, says Jim Bennett, city manager.
- Residential improvements: Happy Valley resident Brenda Lagerwey says adding her home and a new mother-in-law unit on the family property to the new sewer line made great economic sense. And, she says, it was the right thing to do for the environment.
- Public health: The region’s growth can be a threat to our public health and water quality if there is inadequate wastewater treatment, says Dale Richwine, MWH, an international consulting engineer with plenty of local experience.
- Old plants need upgrades: A veteran consulting engineer and longtime Clackamas County observer, Terry Gould of Brown and Caldwell Consultants, says immediate short-term action is needed. “The challenge is to catch up, so to speak, on wastewater treatment capability and then move on for the long-term.”
