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Label:
Capital improvement project
Label:
Open
The Water Bureau replaced original 1894 reservoirs with a new 12.4-million-gallon, seismically reinforced underground reservoir.
2016 to 2026
In 2021, the Water Bureau replaced its original 1894 reservoirs with a new 12.4-million-gallon, seismically reinforced underground reservoir. This reservoir supplies water to Portland's west side and serves more than 360,000 people, including all downtown businesses and residents, 20 schools, 5 hospital complexes, and more than 60 parks.
The Washington Park Reservoir site is open!
Last updated August 11, 2026
The plaza and upper reflecting pool area at the Washington Park Reservoir are open for the public to enjoy. The space will be closed occasionally for operations and maintenance work. The lower reflecting pool area is currently closed to the public.
Visit the Washington Park Reservoir
About the project delay
In June 2025, shortly before the community celebration at the site, Water Bureau leadership identified incomplete construction tasks and safety concerns that led to the difficult decision to keep the site closed to the public. While it's not ideal, large projects like this often experience prolonged construction and testing periods.
Reasons for the delay included:
Waiting for substantial completion
"Substantial completion" is when a construction project is complete enough to hand over the site from the contractor to the owner. Until a project achieves substantial completion, it is still an active construction site under contractor control.
From June 2025 through the opening of the public space, we were still working with our contractor to make sure remaining construction tasks were completed. Even though the reservoir area didn't always look like an active construction site, the public could not legally be in the space without protective gear and appropriate supervision.
Reflecting pool maintenance
After running the reflecting pool for a few months, we noticed that the water wasn't flowing as intended. Crews conducted a series of flow tests in the new reflecting pool system. The tests showed water between the liners of the reflecting pool.
Studying the performance of a 900,000-gallon water feature is a complex job. We've been working to find a solution. The reservoir area may close again in the future as we work to fix the problem.
The decorative reflecting pool is not part of the drinking water system.
Necessary safety improvements
Shortly before the June 2025 community celebration, Water Bureau staff identified several access and safety concerns in the lower area of the reservoir space. The lower area holds a reflecting pool, a lowland habitat, a bioswale, and historic features.
Part of this project's vision is creating a space that's accessible and welcoming to all. That work isn't finished yet. We've fenced off the lower area for now, keeping it closed to the public. We want to make sure that when the gates open, everyone can enjoy it. Crews are working to develop signage, install fencing, and address other safety issues. We will open the space once all access and safety features are completed.
Visit and learn more
Self-guided tour of the Washington Park Reservoir
Learn more about the Washington Park Reservoir improvement project
Washington Park Reservoir project construction and news updates 2019 – 2025
Washington Park Reservoir project video highlights on YouTube