Council questions water filtration plant cost estimates

The Water Bureau has presented the water filtration plant, which is now estimated to cost around $820 million, as the best path forward to ridding the water supply of the potentially dangerous parasite and complying with EPA requirements.

Commissioners on Portland's City Council have lingering questions ahead of next week's vote on a design contract for a controversial proposed water filtration plant.

Wednesday's City Hall meeting gave commissioners a chance to get answers from Water Bureau staff on a project where estimated costs have swelled from $500 million to over $850 million.

Commissioner Amanda Fritz, who oversees the Water Bureau, started the Nov. 20 session by apologizing for the initial estimates, which failed to take into account the cost of pipes to carry water through the treatment plant.

"I want to say right up front that the Water Bureau should have been more clear about what the cost estimate for the filtration plan included," said Fritz. "That was a major mistake, and I apologize."

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