Sandy, Ore., expands sewer capacity following EPA approval
(UI) — Sandy, Oregon, has received approval from the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) for a significant increase in its wastewater system's capacity, marking a crucial milestone for the city's infrastructure development.
Under the Sandy Clean Waters program, the city has invested extensively in upgrading its wastewater infrastructure, leading to a 90% increase in the system's capacity to accept new connections.
In their April 2024 approval letter, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and Oregon DEQ “recognize(d) the progress that the city has made towards increasing capacity, including but not limited to significant inflow and infiltration reduction.”
Their approval raises the cap on Sandy’s wastewater system from 300 new equivalent residential units (ERUs) to 570 ERUs, with an approved pathway for the city to receive an additional 190 ERUs once further conditions are met.
“I am immensely proud of the work we are accomplishing to repair and modernize our infrastructure here in Sandy,” said Mayor Stan Pulliam. “Rather than kick the can down the road, I am committed to doing what is necessary to rebuild a solid foundation for our town to ensure Sandy remains open for business.”
A ‘stress test’ of the wastewater system was performed in 2023 to measure its capacity, followed by analysis of the resulting data and a series of negotiations between the city and regulatory agencies. At the conclusion of the negotiations, the city was able to secure the immediate availability of enough ERUs to accommodate all the development applications that were submitted prior to the city’s initial development moratorium, providing those property owners the certainty they need to proceed with their projects and decreasing the city’s legal liability.
“I am happy to announce that property owners who submitted applications before the moratorium now have assurances that they can connect their projects to our wastewater system,” said Mayor Pulliam. “These property owners have waited patiently and played by the rules, and I know this approval comes as welcome news.”
The City Council will consider adoption of a revised moratorium, formally allocating ERUs to existing projects and allowing staff to process connections up to the new 570 ERU cap, at their meeting on June 3, 2024.
Although the wastewater system improvements accomplished thus far have been significant, more work remains to be done, including adoption of an updated wastewater facilities plan, construction of new treatment infrastructure, and additional rehabilitation of the existing collection system.
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