Construction on Portland’s $2 billion water filtration plant near Gresham is set to resume this week after the city cleared a legal issue that had temporarily halted progress earlier this year.
The project was paused in February after a decision by the Oregon Land Use Board of Appeals. The board overturned part of a conditional land-use permit, determining that Multnomah County officials had not assessed whether the filtration facility would negatively affect natural resources in the rural area where the plant is being built.
While the board upheld other parts of the permit, it sent the application back to the county for further evaluation.
According to city officials, the facility must be operational by 2027 to meet federal drinking water requirements, which include filtering out contaminants such as the parasite cryptosporidium. City representatives state that missing the deadline could lead to federal fines or require Portland to issue boil water notices until the plant is functioning.
The site for the Bull Run filtration plant, purchased by the city in 1975, is not zoned for such a project, necessitating a conditional land-use permit. It was one of several locations considered when planning began nearly a decade ago.
The project has encountered ongoing opposition from nearby residents, farmers, and business owners, contributing to delays and increased costs. Originally estimated at $500 million when approved by city leaders in 2017, the total cost has since risen to $2.1 billion.
Construction officially began last year, and the city now has a little over two years to complete the facility to meet the September 2027 federal deadline.
