MWMC Wins National Award for Clean Water University

The MWMC accepted a National Environmental Achievement Award (NEAA) at the National Association of Clean Water Agencies conference in Austin, Texas. The award recognizes the cooperative efforts of the City of Springfield, the City of Eugene, and the MWMC host Clean Water University, an educational program and field-trip event that teaches 5th-grade students about water science and the importance of clean water. The NEAA was in the category of Public Education & Outreach: Educational Program, and MWMC and City of Springfield Communications Supervisor Loralyn Spiro (pictured with NACWA President Oluwole McFoy) accepted the award on our behalf.

Springfield Seeks Input on Wastewater Planning

The City of Springfield is updating its local Wastewater Master Plan and they want to know what Springfield customers think. Please take their 15-minute online survey so they can share your views with the Springfield City Council when they consider the draft of the Plan.

The Wastewater Master Plan (WWMP) is a critical 20-year planning document that establishes a roadmap for Springfield’s public wastewater collection system, which is a vital network beneath the city. Springfield's wastewater is then collected into the MWMC's pipes to be sent to the regional treatment plant.

The draft Plan is the result of a detailed analysis of Springfield’s physical area and the existing wastewater system. It identifies needed construction projects to fix issues and to accommodate future growth. The plan also recommends changes to City policies and procedures to support needed improvements, and it provides funding information on how they might pay for the changes.

Springfield City Council will review survey responses along with the draft Wastewater Master Plan at a public hearing on May 6, 2024. The final adopted Plan will guide how Springfield invests in its wastewater collection system for the next 20 years.

MWMC History: The Willakenzie Pump Station

The Willakenzie pump station was originally built in the 1960’s to serve all of Eugene to the East of the Willamette River. The original two 75 horsepower pumps were replaced in 1972 with 300 horsepower pumps. The pumps sent wastewater under the river through four pipes to the Eugene treatment plant.

In 1977, Eugene, Springfield, and Lane County formed the Metropolitan Wastewater Management Commission. The newly-created Commission began expanding the Eugene wastewater treatment plant to a regional facility with the capacity to treat Springfield’s wastewater as well. In the early 1980’s, the Springfield treatment plant was demolished and replaced with a 78-inch interceptor pipe that connected the Springfield collection system to the Willakenzie pump station. A new pipe was also built under the Owosso Bridge, connecting from the pump station to the new regional wastewater treatment plant.

After 20 years of operation, the pipes underwent a major renovation. The three smallest pipes were abandoned, and the largest under-river pipe was relined. One of the 300 horsepower pumps was replaced with a smaller 200 horsepower pump, to increase efficiency during low-flow months. The ventilation was also modernized, and equipment was added to monitor air flow and hazardous gas. The MWMC also built a bio-filter outside of the pump station to mitigate odors to the surrounding neighborhood, and the control systems were connected to the treatment plant’s operations console, allowing for remote control of the station. 

In case you missed it last month, the MWMC is running a pollution prevention advertising campaign in the Eugene-Springfield area. Our focus is on reminding people to put used grease and wipes in the garbage, not down their drains! Both wipes and grease can build up in pipes, causing clogs and backups. It also can damage wastewater infrastructure further down the line, forcing us to make costly repairs. You can protect your home's pipes and the pipes that carry your wastewater to the regional treatment plant by putting grease and wipes where they belong: in the trash!

MWMC Website Gets New Look

The MWMC website has received a visual update, and in the coming months the communications team will be updating the content and adding new pages. We'd love to get your feedback on the updated website! If you see anything that could be better or have ideas on how we could improve, let us know by emailing us at mwmcpartners@springfield-or.gov.