New Water Treatment Plant for Our Community’s Future
Planning for Canby’s future water supply and state-of-the-art water treatment is just getting underway.
The Canby community has a long history of planning ahead to ensure a reliable supply of water. Over the years, we have relied on wells, springs, and the Molalla River for drinking water. More than 30 years ago, the Canby Utility Board anticipated the need to expand its water resources beyond these sources. A recent update of the Water System Master Plan shows that our vibrant, growing community needs a new supply of water to meet the future needs of residents, small businesses, industry, and fire protection.
The new water supply will be a legacy investment—vital to the long-term livability of the community. Over the next seven years, Canby Utility will be taking steps to plan, design, construct, and put into service a new state-of-the-art water treatment plant and water intake on the Willamette River. The new treatment plant will produce safe, clean, and good-tasting water year-round.
Willamette River Water Supply
The Willamette River originates in the mountains south of Eugene and flows to the Columbia River. The 187-mile river is entirely in Oregon and is the largest river in the United States that flows south to north. With 13 dams that store water for flood protection and summer flows, it is a more reliable supply than the Molalla River and other tributaries. Over the last 40 years, stringent state and federal environmental protection laws have greatly improved the water quality of the Willamette River.
Other Oregon communities are already using the Willamette River as their source of drinking water: Springfield, Corvallis, Wilsonville, Sherwood, and soon Hillsboro, Beaverton, and Tualatin Valley Water District.
Water Treatment Provides Multi-Barrier Protection
Wilsonville’s state-of-the-art Willamette plant has been operating since 2002 and has met, or is better than, every safe drinking water standard.
Canby’s future water treatment plant will use similar methods to produce top-quality water that looks and tastes great year-round.
Key Treatment Steps Graphic (JPG)
Developing the New Water Supply
Planning for the project is underway. Key milestones over the next decade include preliminary planning, design, construction, and getting the system online to deliver water to homes and businesses. A top priority for the Canby Utility Board and Canby City Council throughout the project is to keep you informed and aware of our progress toward completing this critical legacy project.
The actual project’s cost is not yet known, but early planning-level estimates show it could cost around $82 million dollars (in 2023 dollars). Canby Utility is already seeking a mix of funding sources, from low-interest loans to grants—to help reduce the impact of the cost of the treatment facility on current and future ratepayers. Canby Utility’s revenue stream comes only from water user rates, fees, and system development charges, not property taxes.