Hillsdale Middle Sewer Project

Sewer and Stormwater

Active

Environmental Services is in the design phase of the Hillsdale Middle Sewer Project. This project will repair or replace approximately 1.6 linear miles of aging public sewer pipes throughout the neighborhood. Taking these actions now will help protect public health and the environment.

Construction is anticipated to begin in 2027 and will last a year.

On this Page

Project Area

Simplified map of the Hillsdale Middle Sewer Project

General Schedule

Environmental Services will pause the Hillsdale Middle Project Sewer Project after 90% of the design is complete this spring. We anticipate the project starting up again in 2027 when we'll finalize the design and prepare for construction.

What’s Happening Now

Due to funding challenges, we are now prioritizing work that is critical for life safety, property protection, and economic vitality. This includes expanding the wastewater treatment plant on N Columbia Boulevard and focusing our resources on infrastructure that serves large numbers of people, such as pump stations, force mains, and large diameter pipes.

Staff will continue to repair urgent sewer and stormwater issues as they arise. If your basement sewer backs up or your property or street floods, please report it immediately to the City’s Maintenance Operations hotline at 503-823-1700. It is staffed 24/7, at all hours and all days. 

Future Night Work

Engineers have identified several locations that will likely require night work (see map). Due to the length and diameter of a few pipes, and for traffic safety reasons, some of the work will extend a few hours beyond 6:00 p.m. or will need to be done overnight.

Equipment that generates noise could include sewer cleaning trucks, compressors, light trucks, a drill rig, drill pipes, generators, pumps, ventilation fans. Night work will also require lighting of the work zone.

Construction Methods

This project will include both trenchless and trench excavation methods:

Pipe Lining (CIPP): This is a trenchless repair in which the contractor inserts a flexible liner into the existing pipe through a maintenance hole. The liner hardens to seal cracks and form a new smooth pipe.
Open Trench Excavation: The contractor digs a trench, installs a new pipe, fills in the trench, and restores the patched trench with new pavement.

Visit the Construction Methods webpage for more details and photos of construction methods.

Public and Private Property Access

Most information-gathering activities will occur in the public right-of-way. The public right-of-way includes the street, sidewalks, planting strips, and sometimes undeveloped areas like yards or gravel spaces. In the Hillsdale neighborhood, the public right-of-way often extends well into what appears to be private property, including what can appear to be private front lawns. Crews will be accessing these areas to inspect, maintain, and repair public sewer pipes and manholes.

Public Sewer Easements

In addition, where the city has public sewer easements, crews may need to access private property for survey, other information-gathering activities, and eventual possible sewer repairs. City outreach staff will coordinate with affected property owners for access to public sewer pipes and manholes.

We Want to Hear from You

We would like to hear from you about special events, school activities, and community services in the neighborhood that you think may be impacted by this project. Also, we want to know if you have any concerns related to business operations, disability or mobility issues, medical or business deliveries, and proposed night work. Your input will help us minimize construction impacts to your neighborhood. 

We encourage you to:

Project Webpage: Visit this project webpage for details and weekly updates.
Email Updates: To receive email or text message updates for this project, we encourage you to sign up now. Updates provided through our free GovDelivery subscription service are the best way to stay informed about what’s happening and what to expect. You can also sign up for bulletins on other projects and topics.
Questions: Call the message line at 503-865-6492, stating that Hillsdale Middle Sewer Project is your project of concern. Outreach staff will return your call by the next business day.
Sewer Emergency: In the event of a sewer backup or basement flooding, call the City Maintenance hotline immediately at 503-823-1700. It is staffed all hours and all days, 24/7.

Project Background

This project is part of a series of large-scale sewer projects that have, or will be occurring, in the Hillsdale neighborhood. The Hillsdale South Sewer Project finished construction in January 2021, and the Hillsdale North and Hillsdale NW projects are currently in the design phase.