Boring area residents beckon Portland neighbors to oppose filtration plant

Bull Run Water Guardians seek 501(c)(3) status for new activist organization

The project to build a water filtration plant in Boring appears to be moving forward. The contentious endeavor at Carpenter Lane is a proposed 40-acre facility, costing the Portland Water Bureau (PWB) and the city of Portland anywhere from $820 million to $1.2 billion.

Since the project's approval by Portland City Council in 2017, the effort has amassed a large following of opponents, especially in the Boring/Pleasant Home area of rural Clackamas County. The opposition, which operates under the names of Citizens for a Peaceful Rural Living and Bull Run Water Guardians have been very vocal about their host of concerns, saying this "megaproject" has a "sensation of taxation without representation."

Though the plant will be located in Boring, residents nearest to the site worry their opinions won't count since they aren't constituents of Portland City Council.

Since the project's inception, its opponents' concerns have ranged from environmental to financial.

"I'm not disputing there's a mandate, but there are better options," Bull Run Water Guardians co-organizer Jeff Knapp explained. He and the other organizers argue that the ultraviolet treatment plan, which was initially an option explored by the PWB, would have treated the water enough for regulations and cost less. "The water's clean enough now. We shouldn't even have to do this."

"Ultraviolet light is a disinfection technique with a single purpose: to inactivate micro-organisms in water such as Cryptosporidium," said PWB public affairs representative Jaymee Cuti. "Filtration works by removing Cryptosporidium and other micro-organisms from the drinking water. Filtration, in addition to removing Cryptosporidium, provides many other significant water quality benefits: it provides the best pathogen protection, reduces disinfection byproducts, addresses high turbidity events (fire or storms), helps address algae concerns, keeps sediment out of the distribution system, reduces reliance on groundwater, and better prepares us to address future regulations or emerging contaminants."

Knapp said in a community meeting on Jan. 7, that he wasn't "inherently immediately opposed" to the project, he saw it originally as an "unfortunate necessity," but with some research noted that he found "better, faster, less expensive ways" to treat water.

Boring residents Jeff Knapp, Ian and Lauren Courter and Pat Meyer, have filed to declare the Bull Run Water Guardians as a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization.

The Water Guardians are separate from, but have the same cause, as the Citizens for a Peaceful Rural Living. The group organized to give their effort a more widely relatable label.

"For our community, (this project) is going to change everything," said Ian Courter. "We think we need to reach out into the Portland area. We don't want this to be perceived as a solely local issue."

The Boring contingent hopes the financial impact of increased water rates will bring more Portland residents to their side.

On Nov. 28, the Portland City Council authorized a $51 million contract with Stantec Consulting Services, Inc., for design services for the filtration project. The project will move into the actual design phase within the next year.

"Engineers will work on preliminary design, including the facility's layout and footprint," explained Cuti. "There will be geotechnical evaluations and surveying, environmental studies, cultural resources assessments, and we will begin accessing the easements mentioned above. To address concerns about rates, the water bureau also plans to submit an application for the Water Infrastructure Finance and Innovation Act loan in the Spring of 2020. If awarded, this funding would help lower future rate increases."

At this stage, the bureau is still encouraging Boring area residents to participate in the site advisory group to garner community input on the project.

The Bull Run Water Guardians have rallied their neighbors against this, calling the site advisory group a PR stunt for the bureau to give off the impression that it's taking their opinions and concerns into account. About 20 members of the project's opposition showed up at Sandy High School on Jan. 9 to protest the site advisory group meeting that was taking place.

According to Cuti, nine households and five stakeholders are still participating in the site advisory group.

"Creating public engagement groups for large capital projects is a best practice across the U.S. and we're excited about the active and ongoing engagement with those currently at the table with us," she explained.

Cuti added that the bureau has heard since the beginning of this project about "a strong desire for public engagement and input throughout," and noted that the bureau is trying to address that demand through digital and print communications, one-on-one meetings, and a range of other discussions, including the site advisory group.

"We promised site neighbors, at their request, that we'd provide this public forum back in 2018, and we're excited to have followed through on this commitment and work with folks," she said. "We appreciate the community members who do show up and share their feedback about the project and their input on sound, air quality, odor, chemical safety, traffic safety and preserving community character. This valuable feedback from the group continues to drive and inform what we're doing, and we've already built some strong relationships as a result of those willing to take a seat at the table and work with us on solutions."

Members of the aspiring 501(c)(3), while boycotting the advisory meetings, are still attending Portland City Council meetings.

"We want to go on record as being in opposition of this project," said Ian Courter. "I know (this project) seems like this ominous thing we can't fight, but there are people like us who have pushed back and won. This is a big effort, but it is an effort I believe we can accomplish."