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SIX - Heppner Gazette-Times, Heppner, Oregon Wednesday, July 9, 2025 Legislature passes bill for clean Rep. Greg Smith appointed to water infrastructure E-Board committee The Morrow County Clean Water Consortium has announced that the Oregon State Legislature has approved SB 5531, allocating $2.861 million for infrastructure projects aimed at promoting access to safe drinking water. These funds, tied to lottery bonds, are expected to become available in the first half of 2027. This rep- resents a significant invest- ment by state legislators, if approved by Governor Tina Kotek. While the legislature received requests total- ing over $2 billion for SB 5531, only $300 million was awarded in projects. The consortium says it appreciates this investment and the state’s commitment to prioritizing practical solutions to the nitrate con- tamination issue. Currently, the Clean Water Consortium is work- ing with residents of the West Glen community, lo- cated south of Boardman. West Glen has a dense pop- ulation, with many prop- erties affected by elevated nitrate levels. A series of community outreach meet- ings have been scheduled to review different options with West Glen residents. The first meeting took place on June 18, 2025, with additional meetings planned for August and September. “While connecting to the City of Boardman’s wa- ter system may be the sim- plest solution for the West Glen area, the consortium is committed to collaborating with residents to explore all options, address concerns and develop a solution that best meets the needs of landowners in the commu- nity,” the consortium said in a statement. “The Consortium ap- preciates the funding pro- vided by SB 5531 and looks forward to working with landowners toward a real solution to a real problem.” For more information, please contact Matthew Jensen, Consortium Man- aging Director, at 541-240- 0750. The Morrow County Clean Water Consortium was established in 2025 through an intergovern- mental agreement between Morrow County and the Port of Morrow. Its mission is to promote access to safe drinking water throughout unincorporated areas in Morrow County by fund- ing, developing and build- ing projects to assist res- idents affected by nitrate contamination. T h e c o n s o r t i u m ’s board includes representa- tives from both the county and the Port, supported by an 11-member advi- sory committee made up of residents and business representatives from the Morrow County portion of the LUBGWMA (Lower Umatilla Basin Groundwa- ter Management Area). Consortium answers to frequently asked ques- tions for SB 5531 funded projects Why can’t you just fix the ground water? That would be the ideal long- term solution—but it’s also the most challenging and it takes time. The nitrate issue did not appear overnight and isn’t tied to a single, identifiable source. Mul- tiple factors and sources contribute to groundwater contamination. Cleaning underground aquifers is extremely complex and time-consuming. State and federal agencies, along with local partners, are focused on this long-term Rep. Gregory Smith (R-Heppner) has been ap- pointed to the Legislative Emergency Board Com- mittee. “I am honored to rep- resent House District 57 on the E-Board Committee,” stated Smith. “This com- mittee plays a vital role in ensuring taxpayer dollars are spent wisely and in addressing urgent needs across our state. I remain -Contributed Image effort. In the meantime, the Consortium is working to provide residents with safe, immediate access to clean drinking water. Is connecting to Board- man City water the only solution for West Glen res- idents? While connecting to Boardman’s water system currently appears to be the most straightforward option, it is not the only one being considered. The Consortium is committed to exploring all viable alterna- tives. Community outreach meetings scheduled for August and September will offer opportunities to dis- cuss these options in depth. Additional engagement efforts may be planned as needed. Could a community well be considered? Yes— but it comes with significant challenges. A well serving more than three households must operate under formal, legal water rights—not the exempt residential wells currently used in West Glen. Legal water rights are limited and may need to be purchased or transferred. A community well system would also likely require water treatment (at mini- mum, chlorination), booster pumps, a reservoir tank, and staffing for maintenance and repair. These costs can quickly add up—costs that are already covered through a connection to Boardman’s existing public water sys- tem. Can’t you just dig deep- er wells for each resident? There are two key issues with this option. First, fed- eral and state funding can- not be used to improve private property, includ- ing wells. Second, drilling deeper is no guarantee of avoiding nitrate contamina- tion—now or in the future. The only reliable and mon- itored long-term solution is to connect to a public water system. How much will it cost for water each month if connected to Boardman City water? For an average household of four—using around 15,000 gallons per month, including mod- est lawn irrigation—the monthly water bill is esti- mated at approximately $30 at current City of Boardman rates. But I get free water with my current well. Why should I pay for water? While there may be no monthly water bill with a private well, there are still real costs. Some West Glen residents report paying around $35 per month in electricity for pump operation. Ad- ditionally, pump replace- ments or well repairs can cost anywhere from $5,000 to $15,000—even if only needed once every decade or two. So while it may feel “free,” well water comes with hidden expenses and ongoing maintenance re- sponsibilities. What happens to my current well? There are currently no plans by the Consortium or Morrow County to require wells to be capped. Residents would be able to continue using their wells for purposes like irrigation. However, if connected to the Boardman City water system, your home must be fully dis- connected from the private well for health and safety compliance. But we were promised free water. Why will we have to pay if connect- ing to community well or Boardman City water is the chosen option? During a public health emergency, government agencies such as the EPA and Oregon Health Authority (OHA) step in to provide temporary water solutions. However, this assistance is not intend- ed to be permanent. While every resident deserves access to clean water, there is always a cost associated with delivering and main- taining that service. The Consortium is working to ensure that the costs of in- frastructure installation are covered through grants and external funding. However, once a long-term solution is in place, residents should expect to pay for the water they use—just like other communities on public wa- ter systems. What if I don’t want to connect to a public water system? There is currently no requirement to force res- idents to connect to a public water system. Neither the Consortium nor Morrow County has set that as a goal. Every property will be equipped with a connection valve at its boundary, allow- ing future access if desired. If a current homeowner chooses not to connect, future owners may still do so—at their own cost. It’s important to note that free water delivery will likely end once a public water option becomes available for connection. What all will be paid for if SB 5531 develops a public water system for our community? The intent of the project and the SB 5531 funding is to build the distribution infrastructure, install connection valves at each property, and con- nect water service to each participating residence. While federal and state funds cannot be used for plumbing work on private property, the Consortium is actively pursuing addi- tional funding sources to cover those costs. Upcom- ing community outreach meetings will help identify property-specific concerns and allow the Consortium to work toward solutions that minimize out-of-pocket costs for residents. What if I want to ir- rigate my property with Boardman City water? Pri- vate residential wells allow pumping up to 15,000 gal- lons per day, which is ideal for irrigation. By contrast, using that same amount of water from the Boardman City system would result in a monthly bill of over $900 at current rates. For this reason, the Consortium strongly recommends con- tinuing to use private wells for irrigation. The primary goal of the connection to public water is to provide clean, affordable drinking water to homes—while allowing wells to remain in place for non-potable uses like irrigation. YOUR AD COULD BE HERE! 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