city news...
Jan 2,2009
Portland Water Bureau unveils toilet rebate program
by jenniferd
Beginning January 1, 2009, Portland Water Bureau customers are invited to take advantage of a new toilet rebate program sponsored by the Portland Water Bureau for a limited time. Customers can apply for a $100 rebate for replacing a traditional toilet (1.6 gallons per flush (gpf) or more) with a newer, more water-efficient model that has been labeled WaterSense, by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). To earn the EPA's WaterSense label , toilets must use no more than 1.28 gpf and meet rigorous performance criteria. The bureau is conducting the program until funds are depleted or until June 30, 2009. To receive the rebate: Applicant must fill out a WaterSense Toilet Rebate Form and return to the Portland Water Bureau no later than June 30, 2009. Applicant must receive water from the Portland Water Bureau and have an active Portland Water Bureau account that is in good standing. Applicant must own the property where the new toilet is being installed or obtain the signatur
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posted at 09:50 AM
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Dec 19,2008
City of Portland employees exhibit generous spirit this holiday season
by jenniferd
Commissioner Randy Leonard challenged two of the bureaus he oversees to do something different this holiday season. He didn't challenge them to boost morale or work harder during these stressful economic times. Leonard challenged the Portland Water Bureau and the city's Bureau of Development Services to a friendly holiday competition; a competition to fill barrels for the needy. The Water Bureau allied with Portland Fire and Rescue's Toy N Joy Makers program to fill toy barrels. The Bureau of Development Services picked Sunshine Barrels, a food donation program headed up by the Portland Police Bureau. The competition began on December 3 and ended this afternoon. The prize? Not much, really - a hearty congratulation from the Commissioner and bragging rights, of course. Fancy prize or not, however, city employees embraced this competition with a stunning amount of voracity and enthusiasm, especially given the rough state of the economy. The Water Bureau sent 53 barrels off with firef
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posted at 02:33 PM
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Dec 16,2008
***IMPORTANT*** Winter Tips from the Portland Water Bureau
by jenniferd
Okay kiddies -- here's the scoop: the weather is cold, cold, freezing cold. You need to protect your plumbing or you could end up with a miserable, watery situation on your hands....please just trust me on this one! I've seen it too many times. No one wants frozen and/or exploding plumbing in the middle of a snowstorm. It's just not fun. Outside Plumbing Caulk around pipes where they enter the house. Close all foundation vents. Cut wood or Styrofoam blocks to fill vent openings, then slide them into the vents. (You'll want to open the vents again in the spring to prevent dry rot.) Protect outside pipes and faucets. If you have a separate shut off valve for an outside faucet, consider shutting it off and draining it for the winter. If you don't have a separate valve to turn off faucets, you can wrap outside faucets or hose bibs with insulation . Use newspaper or rags covered with plastic, fiberglass or molded foam-insulating covers (available at hardware stores) to
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posted at 02:34 PM
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Dec 2,2008
Friendly Competition for the Love of Charity
by jenniferd
Two of Commissioner Randy Leonard's bureaus will engage in a friendly, little holiday competition this season. Beginning tomorrow morning (12/3), the Water Bureau will compete with the Bureau of Development Services to fill the most collection barrels with holiday goods. The Water Bureau will fill its barrels with toys for Portland Fire and Rescue's Toy N Joy Makers program; BDS will fill its barrels with food for the Portland Police Bureau's Sunshine Barrels program. The public is invited to participate and help the Water Bureau out! Should you wish to donate a new, unwrapped toy, please drop it in the Toy N Joy Makers bin, located in the Water Bureau's Customer Service Center , 1120 SW 5th Avenue, First Floor, beginning 12/3 at noon. Your donation will not only help out your friends in the Water Bureau, but it will also put a holiday smile on some lucky child's face this year! The event will last until 12/19. Read progress updates on The Water Blog . Jenn
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posted at 01:22 PM
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Nov 29,2008
Protect Your Home Plumbing from Cold Snaps
by jenniferd
The Portland Water Bureau reminds all customers to protect your indoor and outdoor plumbing from the cold weather -- it's coming! Click here for tips on protecting your indoor plumbing Click here for tips on protecting your outdoor plumbing Freezing temperatures can challenge the city's water infrastructure and your household's water pipes. Be prepared this year. Jennie Day-Burget Public Information Officer
posted at 03:16 PM
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Nov 21,2008
Portland Water Bureau Turns Off Groundwater Supply
by jenniferd
The Portland Water Bureau turned off its groundwater supply system this morning. The system has supplied Water Bureau customers with drinking water since high levels of turbidity forced the bureau to turn off its primary Bull Run water supply last week. "This was an unusual run of groundwater." said Water Bureau Administrator David Shaff. "When intense rain in the Bull Run causes excessive turbidity, that rain is generally followed by more rain which flushes the turbidity out. In this case, there was no more rain, so the levels of turbidity in the watershed remained above acceptable serving levels. Flushing has taken a bit longer than normal." While both of the bureau's water sources, the Bull Run watershed and the Columbia South Shore Well Field (CSSWF) meet and exceed all federal drinking water standards, the bureau relies primarily on the Bull Run source to provider customers with drinking water. The CSSWF is maintained as an emergency back-up for event
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posted at 02:58 PM
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Nov 13,2008
Portland Loos Coming Soon...
by jenniferd
I can hardly hold it -- the excitement I feel in letting you know that the Portland Loos will make their much awaited debut early this December. What is a Portland Loo, you ask? The Portland Loo is Portland's newest form of relief -- a place to go when you gotta go. No longer will you have to hold it until you get home because conveniently located on the street corner will be on oasis to Portland's bladder stretched coffee fiends -- a bathroom. (You might also have heard them referred to as Leonard's Loos in honor of Commissioner Randy Leonard who has so delicately taken these toities from conception to fruition.) The Portland Loo offers high durability and a unique and balanced blend of privacy and security, all at a cost that is a fraction of current stand-alone restroom models. The Loo can be installed almost anywhere that water and sewer hookups are available. They will be open 24/7 and are ADA accsesible. The Loos are solar powered. The first Loo will be installe
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posted at 12:27 PM
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Nov 13,2008
Water Bureau Temporarily Turns Off Bull Run Water Supply
by jenniferd
The Water Bureau temporarily turned off the Bull Run water supply system this morning due to increased turbidity in the watershed. The bureau activated groundwater wells in the Columbia South Shore Well Field to temporarily serve water to Portland. Recent heavy rains and increased stream flows in the Bull Run watershed have contributed to this rapid increase in turbidity. Turbidity is a measurement of the cloudiness of (drinking) water by suspended particles. Portland is one of six large drinking water systems in the country that does not filter its water supply. The city is able to comply with federal drinking water regulations by continuously meeting a set of filtration avoidance criteria. Portland has been able to consistently meet these criteria, but it occasionally has to shut down the Bull Run system and operate from its backup groundwater supply when storms and other natural disturbances in the Bull Run reservoirs increase the turbidity. The Surface Water Treatment Rule
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posted at 10:32 AM
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Oct 23,2008
Night, Night City Fountains
by jenniferd
One by one, the Portland Water Bureau is putting its fountains to sleep for the winter. So, if you haven't gotten in your quality time, better do it ... like today! Very few remain awake. So far, Water Bureau Fountain Man John Bee has turned off: Lovejoy Fountain Animals in Pools Fountains Skidmore Fountain Holladay Park Fountain McCoy Fountain Elk Fountain Salmon Street Springs Fountain Ira Keller Fountain Jamison Square Fountain The Water Bureau turns fountains off for the winter in order to prevent their fountain-parts from being damaged by the cold and also to have a chance to do any necessary maintenance and repair work. To find out which fountains are still running, visit www.portlandonline.com/water/fountains Sleep tight fountains. See you in the springtime! Jennie Day-Burget Portland Water Bureau
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posted at 04:30 PM
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Oct 2,2008
Metal Thieves "Metaling" Again
by jenniferd
One of the Portland Water Bureau's meter readers recently reported a growing number of missing meter lids on the eastside of our city. The problem areas are around NE Alberta and 16th - 18th streets and SE Hawthorne and 25th. These lids are, presumably, stolen property. The Water Bureau will make every attempt to replace these lids as soon as possible as the missing lids create a safety hazard for the public. Their absence leaves a hole in the ground where someone (or something) could potentially trip or get stuck. Please be on the look out for missing meter lids and call 503-823-4874 to report a lid missing, or Water Bureau security at 503-823-8064 should you suspect that your meter lid has been stolen. The Water Bureau has been plagued by a series of metal thefts over the past several years including historical site plaques , fountain parts and hardware and drinking fountain bowls . Jennie Burget Interim Public Information Officer Portland Water Bureau
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posted at 02:27 PM
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