Why didn't we rebuild the Fisher's Lane water treatment plant?

The Fisher’s Lane water treatment plant was constructed in 1946. Despite capacity upgrades in 1960 and 1980 and a regulatory upgrade in 1998, the facility was aged and failing. Several concrete structures had deteriorated to the point that it was not practical to rebuild. The plant struggled to keep up with demand due to frequent mechanical and structural failures. Eleven filters failed over a period of ten years, including three catastrophic failures which were declared emergencies in order to expedite repair.

If the existing water treatment plant were to have been rehabilitated, it would have been necessary to keep the plant in operation throughout construction. To do that, construction would have had to be phased to meet water demand year-round while constructing improvements. Three phases of construction were expected to require roughly nine years and $52.6 Million to complete – approximately $18 million more than the cost of the new groundwater supply.

Show All Answers

1. Why does my tap water appear to be discolored?
2. Why didn't we rebuild the Fisher's Lane water treatment plant?
3. Why didn't we stay with the Cowlitz River?
4. How long will the groundwater supply last?
5. Will the groundwater stain my laundry and household fixtures?
6. Why not move the water supply intake to a better location on the Cowlitz River or Columbia River?
7. What is in the groundwater?
8. Until how long is the groundwater supply expected to last?
9. How do I know the groundwater won’t become contaminated?
10. Where does the groundwater come from?
11. Has there been a change in the pH levels after switching to the new water source?
12. What if the water smells funny?
13. Should I consider getting a water softener?
14. What can I do about hard water?
15. How does hard water impact my life?
16. What is the City doing to reduce hardness?
17. What is the hardness of the City's new groundwater source?
18. Where do hard water minerals come from?
19. Is hard water safe?
20. What is water hardness?