The City of Portland is building a filtration facility and pipelines to comply with federal Safe Drinking Water Act regulations. The Filtration Project must be completed by September 30, 2027, and will further protect our health, support our economy, and prepare us for the future.
In November 2023, both Multnomah County and Clackamas County approved the Portland Water Bureau’s land use applications for the Bull Run Filtration Project. In both counties, the approvals followed an extensive public process with the involvement of a hearings officer.
In December 2023, Multnomah County’s decision was appealed to the Land Use Board of Appeals (LUBA). In January 2025, LUBA issued a decision that would send the County’s decision back to the County for further “remand” proceedings.
In January 2025, the Land Use Board of Appeals (LUBA) remanded (sent back to Multnomah County) one County permit item related to the definition of the term “natural resources” in County code. Because no party filed an appeal of LUBA’s decision to the Court of Appeals in the 21-day appeal window, the remand is in effect and the Water Bureau has begun a wind-down and pause of construction on the Bull Run filtration and pipelines project for the remand period.
“Construction of the Filtration Facility is the right thing to do to protect public health. The City purchased this property almost 50 years ago with this type of facility in mind, and we have remained true and transparent in that intent. We will continue to participate faithfully in the land use process and look forward to addressing the issues on remand so we can get back to building this critical project as efficiently and cost effectively as possible.”
Mayor Keith Wilson
During the remand period, per the LUBA order, the County must further define “natural resources” and then apply that refined definition to a review of whether the Filtration Project has shown that it meets the natural resources approval criterion. The City’s initial permit application for the Filtration Project included extensive studies and reports as well as protections and mitigations for natural resources.
“Portland’s commitment to safe, clean drinking water remains unwavering. While we respect the land use process and will fully comply with the remand, every day of delay drives up construction costs and increases the risk of missing our public health compliance deadline—challenges that directly impact our communities, businesses, and ratepayers. We are working diligently to resolve this issue as efficiently as possible so we can continue building the infrastructure needed to protect our water from wildfires, seismic threats, and climate risks—ensuring a resilient system for generations to come."
Deputy City Administrator for Public Works Priya Dhanapal
Per state land use law, the County has 120 days from the start of a remand to issue a decision unless extended by the applicant. During the remand process, the Water Bureau will continue to maintain erosion control and applicable permit conditions as well as coordinate with the County to ensure project improvements are paused in a manner that protects public safety. We look forward to the completion of the remand process and being able to move forward to meet our regulatory obligation, minimize project cost increases, and reduce our system vulnerability to earthquakes, wildfires, large storms, landslides, and other natural disasters.
"The Filtration Project will provide public health and resilience protections for hundreds of thousands of customers and small businesses. Many small businesses and workers, including women and minority construction workers and COBID firms, are counting on this project to help grow their business and support their path to living-wage jobs. Every delay impacts our neighbors and our community, including potentially driving up project costs which will add to the bill for ratepayers."
Water Bureau Chief Engineer Jodie Inman