From all of us at the Metropolitan Wastewater Management Commission, Happy New Year! We're looking forward to serving the Eugene-Springfield community in 2022 with high-quality wastewater services. What we do plays an important role in protecting public health and our local waterways, and so do the everyday actions of community members!

For that, we thank YOU for all of your past, present, and future efforts to preserve our local environment and extend the life of our shared wastewater pipes and pumps. From canning fats, oils, and grease to keeping wipes out of your pipes, your actions make a difference and are appreciated. Learn more about how you can be a part of the pollution solution on our Pollution Prevention webpage.

The Pure Water Partners (PWP), a collaborative initiative to reward McKenzie landowners who protect environmentally sensitive land along the river, was recently recognized by the Oregon Recreation and Park Association (ORPA). The Natural Resource Section of ORPA selected the Pure Water Partners for their annual award for Outstanding Contribution to the Natural Resources Field. PWP was selected for the general body of collaborative work that is the mission of the partnership and specifically for the recent work to provide timely, critical support to the people and land impacted by the fall 2020 Holiday Farm Fire.

The MWMC is a proud member of the Pure Water Partners, alongside the Eugene Water & Electric Board, Cascade Pacific Resource Conservation & Development, McKenzie Watershed Council, McKenzie River Trust, Upper Willamette Soil & Water Conservation District, University of Oregon, and the US Forest Service. PWP encourages stewardship of healthy riparian forest areas and provides incentives to landowners to protect and/or restore riparian forests as key systems for protecting water quality and aquatic life. It's through this partnership that the MWMC was able to help fund a project to plant native vegetation last year along a stretch of the McKenzie River that had been burned. To learn more about the Pure Water Partners, click here.

Did you know that we offer presentations to civic groups, businesses, and trade organizations? Reach out to us at mwmcpartners@springfield-or.gov to schedule a presentation for one of your 2022 meetings! From our sustainability efforts such as our Biocycle Farm and Renewable Natural Gas project, to the 31 million gallons of wastewater we clean each day, there's a lot going on behind the scenes here at the MWMC. We love sharing about it all with community members through both virtual and in-person presentations.