Bull Run filtration and water rates
Portland is spending over a billion dollars on water treatment. Who approved it, and does the money reconcile?
Portland's Bull Run filtration project exists because city staff say the water system must remain in regulatory compliance; a councilor notes the Oregon Health Authority extended the deadline to begin serving filtered water to September 30, 2029, and the record does not show that date arriving yet. Costs have moved sharply: a councilor cites a 2017 estimate of $500 million, city staff describe a prior guaranteed price near $1.3 billion for the facility plus roughly $400 million for pipelines, $881 million spent by the end of June 2026, and a city-reported $2.58 billion total program budget, later used as $2.46 billion for the two open projects. A resident separately asserts uncertainty stretching toward over $4 billion. A councilor puts the resulting increase at about $10.20 a month, or $120 a year, for a single-family customer. The sharpest dispute: a councilor argues the "legally required" justification isn't compelling, since noncompliance penalties would cost less than building the plant.
- 2017 $500 million
- Prior approved GMP (before 2024 amendment) $1.3 billion (filtration facility) + ~$400 million (pipelines)
- End of June 2026 $881 million spent
- August 2026 reporting $2.58 billion total program budget (or $2.46 billion for the two remaining open projects)
What the city has actually paid
Paid to the joint ventures building the Bull Run filtration program, from the Portland Water Bureau’s own payment record.
| Paid to | Payments | Amount | Contract on the public register |
|---|---|---|---|
| MWH-Kiewit JV 2023-08-14 – 2026-07-27 | 111 | $469,348,605 | none found |
| MWH-Fowler JV 2023-08-02 – 2026-07-15 | 98 | $160,918,611 | none found |
| Total | $630,267,217 | largest related contract on the register: $3,000,000 |
Payments come from the city's Vendor Payment Checkbook; contracts from its published OCDS contract register. A vendor with no contract here means no contract in that register matched the name the payment was issued under — not that no contract exists. The test is for a contract with the joint venture itself, the entity the payments were issued to; its parent companies do hold other, unrelated city contracts. Across all city spending, 68.7% of payment dollars go to vendors with no matching contract in the register, so this pattern is city-wide and not particular to this project.
What it costs you
The cost of the filtration project is passed on to residents through increases to the combined water, sewer and stormwater rate paid by single-family customers.
THE ESTIMATED RATE INCREASE THIS YEAR WILL BE ABOUT $10.20 A MONTH FOR A SINGLE FAMILY RESIDENT. THAT'S ABOUT 120 A YEAR.
Councilor · Olivia ClarkTSCC Public Hearing9 Jun 2026
Why this exists
The filtration project exists because the city must remain in regulatory compliance for its drinking water system; failing to build it would mean the city is no longer compliant and can no longer legally provide the services it is required to provide.
HOWEVER, IF WE PUT THAT OFF, WE WILL NO LONGER BE COMPLIANT REGULATORY. WE WILL NO LONGER BE PROVIDING THE SERVICES TO OUR CONSTITUENTS THAT WE'RE SUPPOSED TO BE.
City staff · Joe RobinsonFinance & Governance Committee (Whole)15 Jul 2026
The clock: 30 September 2029
City must begin serving filtered water under the Oregon Health Authority's updated bilateral compliance agreement
THE CITY HAS RECEIVED AN EXTENSION FOR THE COMPLETION FROM THE OREGON HEALTH AUTHORITY. IT'S CALLED THE UPDATED BILATERAL COMPLIANCE AGREEMENT FOR THE NERDS OUT THERE THAT WANT TO KNOW WHAT THE AGREEMENT REALLY IS. BUT THAT DEADLINE WAS EXTENDED TO BEGIN SERVING THE FILTERED WATER UNTIL SEPTEMBER 30TH OF 2029.
Councilor · Olivia ClarkTSCC Public Hearing9 Jun 2026
What else was on the table
- rejected UV (ultraviolet) disinfection instead of full filtration Filtration is considered more resilient during high-turbidity events from earthquakes, wildfires and extreme weather, which UV/current process cannot meet permit compliance during City staff · Ting LiuRegular Session13 May 2026
- unresolved Renewed EPA waiver instead of building filtration Advocates argue the city's near-pristine primary source and strong secondary source could satisfy the EPA mandate without filtration Public testimony · Sam DiazRegular Session13 May 2026
- unresolved Relocate filtration facility to city-owned site near Powell Butte Would immediately reduce project costs and stop destructive impacts to rural communities near the current site Public testimony · Elizabeth LinderRegular Session13 May 2026
- unresolved Amend the water revenue bond down to only the amount required and hold an emergency work session on alternatives Advocates want council to hold off on full funding until cost-effective alternative approaches are detailed Public testimony · Sam DiazRegular Session13 May 2026
- chosen Use Brown Caldwell in an enhanced owner's representative role rather than hiring a separate external consultant or a piecemeal approach Brown Caldwell already has an existing project/program management scope, so this was recommended at this stage while holding them accountable via KPIs City staff · MurielPublic Works Committee11 Aug 2026
How council voted
16 recorded votes on this subject — 2 drew a dissenting vote, 0 failed.
-
9–3
carried
27 May 2026
Revise sewer and stormwater rates, charges and fees for FY 2026-27
-
11–1
carried
21 May 2025
Revise sewer and stormwater rates for FY 2025-26
-
9–0
carried
3 absent
25 Jun 2026
*Revise sewer and stormwater rates, charges, and fees for FY 2026-27
-
11–0
carried
2 absent
29 Oct 2025
Accept the Bull Run Treatment Projects 2025 Annual Report
-
3–0
carried
18 Dec 2024
Amend contract with Carollo Engineers, Inc for professional engineering services for the Columbia Boulevard Wastewater Treatment Plant Blower System and Building Improvement project for $1,962,434 (amend Contract 30007680; Project E11304)
-
3–0
carried
18 Dec 2024
Authorize competitive solicitation and contract with the lowest responsive and responsible bidder for the Columbia Boulevard Wastewater Treatment Plant Digester Gas Combustion System Project (Project E10649)
Recorded roll-call votes only. Items passed without a roll call, and anything settled in committee without one, are not counted here.
What is actually in dispute
- The 'legally required' justification for the project isn't compelling because the penalties for non-compliance would be cheaper than building the plant. Councilor · Councilor NovickWork Session FY2026-27 Public Works #2 5/14/2614 May 2026
- Cheaper, less invasive alternatives (like UV treatment) exist but were never meaningfully evaluated by the Water Bureau despite repeated community requests. Public testimony · Elizabeth LinderRegular Session13 May 2026
- Calling the original low cost estimate 'misinformation' is itself misleading, since it was made before land purchase or design completion. Councilor · Olivia ClarkTSCC Public Hearing9 Jun 2026
- The project's true total cost is uncertain, with figures ranging from $2.56 billion to over $4 billion depending on who is asked. Public testimony · Sam DiazRegular Session13 May 2026
- The city is treating ratepayers as an unlimited funding source for a project without cost ceilings or independent oversight. Public testimony · Liz LevinsonRegular Session13 May 2026
- The Portland Water Bureau itself helped craft the very regulation it now cites as forcing the filtration project. Public testimony · Floyd JonesRegular Session13 May 2026
These are positions taken in the room, not conclusions of ours. A claim appearing here is not a finding that it is true.
What the record counts
Promises whose deadline passed with no delivery found
Each was said on the record. We searched later meetings for the thing arriving and did not find it — which is not proof it never did.
-
Due 2025-10-15 Nobody named
Accept/vote on the Bull Run Treatment Projects 2025 Annual Report at full Council
Promised at Portland City Council Transportation & Infrastructure Committee 10/06/25, 2025-10-06
-
Due 2026-02-23 Water Bureau
Present an update on the Bull Run Filtration Project
Promised at Portland City Council Transportation & Infrastructure Committee 02/09/26, 2026-02-09
Sums named on the record
- $1,290,000,000
- $1,003,753,656
- $382,000,000
- $330,207,923
- $26,300,000
- $1,962,434
- $237,000
- $180,223
Quoted verbatim from item titles and promises. Not a total of what the city spent.
Votes are every recorded roll call on file. Promises are read from 433 of 433 meeting transcripts. Meetings counted are those linked to this subject's issue threads. Sums are quoted verbatim from item titles and promises, and are not a total of what the city spent.