The water is piped to town where it is treated by filtration and disinfected before being delivered to City residents. The treatment plant was constructed in 1978, upgraded in 1996 and again in 2001, and provides chemical coagulation, flocculation, sedimentation filtration and disinfection treatment of the water. It has a capacity of treating 0.8 million gallons per day (mgd), which is adequate for the present usage of the City.

However, the system is old, and has a continuing loss of treated water in its distribution system. We are working hard to reduce losses in the distribution system and improve its efficiency. This will involve replacing 90% of the piping and associated equipment.

We are in the process of assessing the most effective and cost-efficient ways to modernize our water infrastructure. We have won grants to do the essential engineering studies and environmental assessment, and are working with the US Dept of Agriculture/Rural Utilities and state agencies to develop funding to offset the costs to the city. We are also working to increase the size of the Hubbard Creek impoundment to help the city in the dry years.

How Safe Is Our Water?

To guarantee water quality, stringent tests are regularly performed on the city's treated drinking water. Last year Port Orford's tap water met all US Environmental Protection (EPA) and state drinking water health standards. Local Watershed Council vigilantly safeguards our water supplies and we are proud to report that our system had no violations of maximum contaminant levels for the year 2006.

Consumer Confidence Report

This report explains the testing the City does to insure that the drinking water it supplies meets federal regulations.

Water Rates

Water meters are read and billed every month and customers are billed for both water and sewer on the same bill.

2010 Rates:

Base rate for water will be: $27.08 which includes first 2000 gallons
Consumption rate will be billed at:
First 0 - 2,000 gallons included in base rate
2,001 - 5,000 gallons billed at $6.49 per thousand gallons
5,001 - 10,000 gallons billed at $8.49 per thousand gallons
10,001 - 20,000 gallons billed at $9.49 per thousand gallons
Anything over 20,000 gallons billed at $10.49 per thousand gallons
Base rate for sewer is: $37.08 + $6.13 per thousand gallons consumption (based on water consumption)

Hook up fees:

Residential SDC fees for water are $7,380, sewer SDC fees are $3,983 and $382, and are charged at the same time as water. In addition, there are hook-up fees designed to cover the actual cost of making the connections to the system: $1,300 for water and $750 for sewer. These SDC and hook up fees are based on a ¾ inch water meter size.