RiverHealth Capacity Management Program

The easiest way to understand the term “capacity” with regard to wastewater is to think of a unit of measurement called Equivalent Dwelling Unit (EDU). One EDU is roughly the amount of waste produced by an average household per day. The Kellogg Creek Water Pollution Control Plant, CCSD #1’s largest plant located in Milwaukie, is facing a capacity shortage, causing untreated sewage to spill into the Willamette River during heavy rain events.

Currently, CCSD#1 leases 5500 EDUs from the Tri-City Service District (TCSD). CCSD #1 is financing the construction of additional capacity on land owned by TCSD, which is next to the existing Tri-City plant. This construction is part of larger efforts mandated by the Oregon Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ), known as the RiverHealth Capacity Management Program (CMP). The intent of the CMP is to relieve the over-capacity Kellogg Creek Water Pollution Control Plant, ultimately protecting public health and the Willamette River.

The CCSD #1-funded RiverHealth CMP, when complete in 2011, will return the leased capacity to the Tri-City Service District. This project will provide enough capacity for both Districts until 2015.

Tri-City Aerial June 2010

Tri-City Aerial June 2009