Report on the Springfield Utility Board McKenzie River Water Treatment Project

Executive Summary

The Springfield Utility Board (SUB) is advancing a critical infrastructure project to establish a new water treatment facility on the McKenzie River. This initiative is fundamentally aligned with several United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), primarily SDG 6 (Clean Water and Sanitation), SDG 11 (Sustainable Cities and Communities), and SDG 9 (Industry, Innovation, and Infrastructure). The project aims to secure a resilient and high-quality water supply for Springfield’s growing population, enhance emergency preparedness, and ensure the long-term sustainability of the community’s water resources. Construction is scheduled to commence in 2028, with the facility becoming operational in 2031. The project’s estimated cost of $135-$140 million will be financed through a combination of long-term loans and structured water rate increases.

Alignment with Sustainable Development Goal 6: Clean Water and Sanitation

The project directly addresses the core targets of SDG 6 by working to ensure the availability and sustainable management of water and sanitation for all.

Objective 1: Achieve Universal and Equitable Access to Safe Drinking Water (Target 6.1)

• Supporting Growth: The utility anticipates a 48% increase in water demand over the next 50 years. The new facility, producing 23 million gallons per day, is essential for meeting the needs of a growing community of over 61,000 people.
• Improving Water Quality: The project incorporates advanced filtration and disinfection (chlorine and UV) processes to treat surface water, mitigating risks from contaminants like PFAS (“forever chemicals”) which are more costly to remove from groundwater.

Objective 2: Implement Integrated Water Resources Management (Target 6.4)

• Diversification of Sources: Currently, Springfield relies on groundwater wells and a single treatment plant on the Willamette River. Adding a second surface water source from the McKenzie River creates a diversified and more resilient system, reducing stress on any single source.
• Risk Mitigation: This diversification mitigates risks associated with toxic algae blooms, which can force a temporary shutdown of the Willamette River intake, thereby ensuring a continuous water supply.

Contribution to SDG 11: Sustainable Cities and Communities

This infrastructure investment is a strategic measure to make the city of Springfield more inclusive, safe, resilient, and sustainable.

Objective 1: Enhance Resilience to Water-Related Disasters (Target 11.5)

• Emergency Preparedness: The project significantly enhances the water system’s resilience against natural disasters. The Holiday Farm Fire in 2020 highlighted the critical need for robust water infrastructure for firefighting and community protection.
• Supply Redundancy: Having independent water sources on both the Willamette and McKenzie rivers ensures that if one source is compromised by a contamination event or other emergency, the other can continue to supply the community.

Project Details and Financial Framework (SDG 9)

The project represents a significant upgrade to local infrastructure, a key component of SDG 9, which aims to build resilient infrastructure, promote sustainable industrialization, and foster innovation.

Project Components and Timeline

1. Water Intake and Pumps: An intake structure integrated into the riverbank to avoid obstructing recreational activities.
2. Filtration Facility: A new plant on SUB-owned land on 66th Street, featuring sedimentation basins and membrane filters.
3. Underground Pipelines: A network to transport the treated water to the rest of Springfield’s distribution system.

Key Milestones

• 2007: State grants water rights to SUB.
• 2026 (Spring): Project expected to reach 60% design phase.
• 2028: Planned commencement of construction.
• 2031: Facility scheduled to begin operations.

Financial Plan

• Total Estimated Cost: $135 million to $140 million.
• Funding Source: A combination of long-term loans and revenue from rate increases.
• Projected Rate Increases: Current projections indicate an 8.5% annual increase for the next five years to fund this project and other ongoing system maintenance. This translates to an estimated additional $4.50 per month for the typical customer.

Analysis of Sustainable Development Goals in the Article

1. Which SDGs are addressed or connected to the issues highlighted in the article?

1. SDG 6: Clean Water and Sanitation
   • The entire article focuses on the construction of a new water treatment facility to provide clean and safe drinking water. It discusses securing a new water source (the McKenzie River), the treatment process (filtration, disinfection), and meeting the community’s current and future water needs.
2. SDG 9: Industry, Innovation and Infrastructure
   • The article details a major infrastructure project—the development of a new water treatment plant costing between $135 million and $140 million. It emphasizes building “resilient” infrastructure that can withstand emergencies and support the community’s long-term growth.
3. SDG 11: Sustainable Cities and Communities
   • The project’s primary goals are to “support Springfield’s growing community” and make the water supply system “more resilient, in case of emergencies.” This directly contributes to making the city safer and more sustainable by ensuring a reliable water supply for residents, hospitals, and firefighting, especially in the face of natural disasters like wildfires (Holiday Farm Fire) and environmental risks (toxic algae blooms).

2. What specific targets under those SDGs can be identified based on the article’s content?

1. Target 6.1: Achieve universal and equitable access to safe and affordable drinking water for all.
   • The project is designed to ensure a continuous and safe water supply for the “more than 61,000 people” currently served by the Springfield Utility Board (SUB) and to meet a projected 48% increase in demand over the next 50 years. The article also addresses the “affordable” aspect by detailing the projected rate increases (“8.5% every year for the next five years”) needed to fund the project.
2. Target 9.1: Develop quality, reliable, sustainable and resilient infrastructure…to support economic development and human well-being.
   • The article explicitly states that a key goal of the new facility is to make the water system “more resilient with multiple sources of drinking water.” This new infrastructure provides flexibility and reliability during emergencies, such as contamination of other water sources (e.g., toxic algae blooms in the Willamette River) or natural disasters, thereby ensuring human well-being.
3. Target 11.5: Significantly reduce the number of people affected…by disasters, including water-related disasters.
   • The new water source is presented as a crucial measure for disaster risk reduction. The article mentions the “Holiday Farm Fire in 2020” to highlight the importance of having a reliable water supply for firefighting. It also points to potential disruptions like reservoir drawdowns and algae blooms as risks that the new, resilient system is designed to mitigate, thus reducing the number of people who would be affected by a water supply failure.

3. Are there any indicators mentioned or implied in the article that can be used to measure progress towards the identified targets?

1. Indicators for SDG 6 (Clean Water and Sanitation)
   • Population served: The utility supplied water to “more than 61,000 people in 2024.”
   • Water supply volume: The utility supplied “about 3 billion gallons of drinking water” in 2024, and the new facility is expected to yield “23 million gallons per day.”
   • Affordability of water: Progress and impact can be measured by tracking the projected “8.5% water rate increases every year for the next five years” and the cost to the consumer, where a “typical SUB water customer will pay an additional $4.50 per month.”
2. Indicators for SDG 9 (Industry, Innovation and Infrastructure)
   • Investment in infrastructure: The total financial commitment is stated as “between $135 million and $140 million.”
   • Operational capacity of new infrastructure: The new plant’s capacity will be “23 million gallons of water per day.”
   • Project timeline: Progress can be tracked against the stated timeline: “construction on the new plant to begin in 2028, with the facility starting to operate in 2031.”
3. Indicators for SDG 11 (Sustainable Cities and Communities)
   • Resilience to water-related risks: The project’s success can be measured by its ability to provide an “alternate surface water source” to mitigate risks from “toxic algae blooms” and other emergencies, ensuring continuous supply.
   • Support for a growing population: The project’s capacity is designed to meet a projected “demand for water will increase 48% over the next 50 years,” which is an indicator of planning for a sustainable urban future.

4. Table of SDGs, Targets, and Indicators

Source: lookouteugene-springfield.com