Water Wisdoms | December 2021 Newsletter
MWMC and City Springfield Recognize Industries for 10+ Years Wastewater Discharge Compliance
The MWMC, in conjunction with the City of Springfield, recently presented International Paper Company, PeaceHealth Sacred Heart Medical Center at RiverBend, and Swanson Group MFG., LLC with Environmental Compliance Award trophies. These prestigious awards recognize each recipient’s continuous work to achieve 100% compliance with their Wastewater Discharge Permit for more than 10 consecutive years.

This is a great accomplishment, and the MWMC and City of Springfield are grateful to each industry for their continued partnership to protect Springfield's local wastewater collection system, the MWMC’s regional wastewater treatment plant, worker safety and health, and the environment.

To learn more about the MWMC, City of Springfield, and City of Eugene's regional approach to Industrial Pretreatment, and to read our full Environmental Compliance Award news release, click here.
Pictured: Brian Brazil, IP Environmental Manager & Emily Lane, City of Springfield Environmental Services Technician
Pictured: Roni Dersham, PeaceHealth Manager of Safety & Emergency Management and
Shawn Krueger, City of Springfield Environmental Services Supervisor
Pictured: Randy Winders, Swanson Group
Boiler Supervisor &
Shawn Krueger
Winter Billing Cycle
If you study your December Eugene Water & Electric Board or Springfield Utility Board bill, you may notice a change in the wastewater portion. That’s because wastewater service charges include a flow-based fee, determined by your actual water usage during the winter weather months (December through April), plus a standard base charge. The flow-based fee measures water that goes down the drain and is transported to our regional wastewater treatment plant to be cleaned.

During the other months of the year (May through November), the wastewater portion of your bill is based on the average of your winter water usage or actual usage, whichever is less – to account for outdoor water use including irrigation, which isn’t treated as wastewater. If you find there is a significant increase in the wastewater portion of your December bill (that doesn’t seem to match with an increase in your household’s or business’s water usage), it might indicate a potential water leak. Learn how to check for a water leak and learn more about the wastewater service portion of your utility bill.
Did You Know?
Did you know that the MWMC offers fats, oils, and grease (FOG) disposal kits to community members for FREE? The kit makes canning your grease and disposing of it properly easier than ever. Canning FOG rather than pouring it down the drain prevents expensive plumbing bills, as well as protects our community's health and environment and our shared wastewater pipes and pumps.

If you'd like your very own fats, oils, and grease disposal kit in time for holiday cooking, click here to enter your information and we'll mail one to you. You can also find more tips to keep your wastewater flowing at that link.
Thank You to our Wastewater Operators this Holiday Season
Santa might be working hard to deliver gifts next week, but our wastewater treatment plant operators work around the clock 24/7/365 to clean an average of 35 million gallons of wastewater per day. (That's 106 Olympic-size pools!) Wastewater never stops and neither do we. This holiday season, please join us in thanking these hard-working staff members for the often unseen but essential service they provide to our community.

From all of us at the Metropolitan Wastewater Management Commission, we wish you and your family a happy and safe holiday season! We look forward to meeting your wastewater needs throughout the holidays and into next year.
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