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Sewer Maintenance: Renewed attention to partnership needed to better serve ratepayers

Wastewater goes through pipes owned by the Bureau of Environmental Services but the bureau pays another - the Bureau of Transportation - to maintain these pipes. This longstanding agreement has had mixed results. We make recommendations for both bureaus in our audit report.

Report


Groundwater: City identified risks, must develop a long-term plan to address them

Given the time and money spent on protecting Bull Run, this audit asked whether the Water Bureau is managing the groundwater resource to ensure it is available in times of emergency or scarcity.

Report


Fraud Hotline report: Tip alleged procurement and ethics violations within the Water Bureau

The Auditor’s Office found evidence of procurement and ethics violations in an investigation prompted by a tip to the fraud hotline. The Water Bureau agreed to implement recommended process changes.

Report


Private Stormwater Management: City reliance on property owners requires review of risks and results

We found that the Bureau of Environmental Services did not have reliable data on private structures and did not evaluate the effectiveness of its programs. We make recommendations to ensure that the Bureau’s programs to manage stormwater on private property are effective and working as intended.

Report


Utility Payment Assistance: Program improvements would enable City to assist more customers

We recommend the Portland Water Bureau strengthen payment assistance by collecting and using customer data and improving outreach and training. We also recommend the Water Bureau continue to study how assistance could be extended to residents of multifamily housing.

Report