Bull Run Filtration Project fact sheet

The Portland Water Bureau is building a water filtration facility and new pipelines to comply with federal Safe Drinking Water Act regulations and improve the reliability and resilience of our water system. Once complete, the Bull Run Filtration Project will further protect our health, support our economy, and prepare us for the future—securing cleaner, safer water for generations of Portland customers.

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How filtration will treat Bull Run water

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1. Clean and safe water starts in the highly protected Bull Run Watershed.
2. Silt and small particles will settle out and be removed.
3. Microorganisms and any remaining silt or particles will be removed by filtration.
4. Proven and safe treatment will continue to reduce the corrosion of lead. It will also protect filtered water from bacteria and viruses.

For our health: Making sure our water is safe for everyone

• Upgraded treatment is making Bull Run water less corrosive to lead found in some home and building plumbing.
• Filtration will remove Cryptosporidium and other disease-causing microorganisms from our drinking water.
• Treatment will reduce regulated compounds that can cause cancer (disinfection byproducts) by removing organics in the water.
• Our water will be better protected from toxins, bacteria, and viruses using proven treatment.

Learn more about how filtration will protect public health and improve water quality

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For our economy: Creating jobs and investing in infrastructure to help our community thrive

• The projects are creating thousands of jobs in the Portland metropolitan area.
• Construction includes equity contracting and diverse workforce commitments to create job opportunities for people of color and women in the construction trades.
• Filtration will allow us to more consistently deliver the high-quality water that our industries and local businesses depend on.

Learn more about how filtration supports our regional economy

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For our future: Providing a more resilient water system and greater protection

• Improved treatment will prepare us to better respond to future water quality regulations and a changing climate.
• New seismically resilient pipelines will connect the filtration facility to the existing water system.
• The Bull Run supply will be able to recover more quickly from a fire, landslide, or major storm.
• New facilities will continue to use gravity flow to carry filtered water to town, which is more reliable and energy efficient than pumped systems.

Learn more about how filtration will make our water system more resilient and prepared for emergencies