Our Town: New Public Works Director | City Water Information
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City Hires New Public Works Director
In February, the city named Tim Elsea its new Public Works director.
Since 2018, Tim Elsea served as the Public Works director and county engineer in Skamania County, Washington. He also previously served as the director of Public works for Lane County and Lewis County, Washington.
“Tim is a welcome addition to Beaverton’s leadership team,” said City Manager Jenny Haruyama. “He has more than 25 years of progressive public service experience in engineering, emergency management, planning, and building. I ’m looking forward to working together to maintain and improve our community.”
Beaverton’s Public Works Department has 140 employees and an operational budget of $93.5 million. The department is responsible for the city’s engineering and operations activities, which include the water distribution system, street improvements, urban forestry, facilities, and fleet. The department is also responsible for implementation of the city’s Capital Improvement Program with an estimated annual budget of $100 million.
A Commitment to Conservation
Beaverton is a proud member of the Regional Water Providers Consortium — a collaborative organization that works to improve the planning, communication, and management of municipal water supplies in the greater Portland metro region.
For tips on conserving water both indoors and out, and to learn how you can make the most of this precious resource, visit www.regionalh2o.org.
Save Water. Save Money.
The city offers rebates to residential city water customers toward the purchase of new high-efficiency toilets, water-efficient clothes washers, and weather-based irrigation controllers.
Information about the rebate program and eligibility requirements, as well as an application form, are available at www.BeavertonOregon.gov/Rebates.
From Source to Tap: Do You Know Where Your Water Comes From?
In Beaverton, our primary source of drinking water is surface water from the upper Tualatin River provided via the Joint Water Commission (JWC) water treatment plant. The city shares JWC membership with the cities of Forest Grove and Hillsboro, as well as the Tualatin Valley Water District. Every day, the city has access to up to 18.75 million gallons (mgd) of this treated drinking water. In addition, the city owns the right to use up to 1.3 billion gallons in Scoggins Reservoir (Hagg Lake) and 1.4 billion gallons in Barney Reservoir, located on the Trask River in the Coast Range. From the fall to the summer each year, the city utilizes its 16 mgd water right on the upper Tualatin River.
In the summer, water from both the Barney and Scoggins reservoirs is released into the Tualatin River. Then, water downstream is pumped out and used as source water for the JWC water treatment plant. During periods of high water demand, the city can also supplement its supply with water from these sources, as well as up to 8 mgd with city-owned aquifer storage and recovery (ASR) wells. In the winter and spring, the city stores drinking water in the ASR wells and pumps water out of the deep wells for summer use to reduce use of important Tualatin River water.
Your water travels about 20 miles by pipeline from the treatment plant to the city’s storage reservoirs and then through a vast underground network of pipes to our homes, businesses, schools, parks, and other community assets. Our water distribution system never stops, ensuring that you receive quality drinking water when and where you need it.
Diversifying Our Water Supply for the Future
The Willamette Water Supply Program (WWSP) is a partnership between the Tualatin Valley Water District, the City of Hillsboro, and the City of Beaverton to develop the mid-Willamette River at Wilsonville as an additional water supply source.
This new water treatment and pipeline system, when operational in 2026, will provide a reliable water supply for the region by helping water system operators balance supply during times of drought or other supply interruptions, as well as recover more quickly after a large natural disaster.
As of Jul. 1, 2019, the city officially became a part owner of the Willamette Water Supply System (WWSS), to receive up to five million gallons per day when it is operational in 2026.
For more information, visit www.ourreliablewater.org.
Water Quality Report Released
Each year, the city is required to produce a water quality report that provides information about Beaverton’s water quality, including monitoring and testing results, from the previous year. We want residents to know the sources of your drinking water, and, most importantly, we want you to know your water is safe.
We’re proud to report that the city continues to provide high-quality drinking water that meets or exceeds all state and federal standards. A water quality report, also known as a consumer confidence report, is an annual requirement by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the Oregon Health Authority. The report provides detailed information about the sources and quality of local drinking water, as well as other important topics related to your drinking water supply. Other water service providers within our city are Tualatin Valley Water District, Raleigh Water District, and West Slope Water District.
A detailed map of water service providers is available at www.BeavertonOregon.gov/WaterServiceMap.
The city’s 2023 water quality report is now available online at www. BeavertonOregon.gov/CCR. This report is available in other formats and languages. For more information, contact 503-526-2208.
