Dear Valued Customer,
2020 promises to be another productive year of growth for WES, which proudly serves you and more than 190,000 customers.
I am happy to report that our
82nd Drive Pedestrian Bridge
will soon re-open after seismic retrofitting work is complete. The bridge will be able to withstand a magnitude 9.0 earthquake and provide passage across the Clackamas River should such an event occur. Resiliency and preparedness are a top priority for us.
Expansion and refurbishment projects at our water resource recovery facilities will strengthen our ability to protect your health, our shared environment, and accommodate future growth. In addition to producing electricity for nearly half of our Tri-City facility, our new cogeneration system will use methane gas to generate heat that we can use for the wastewater treatment process as well as to heat our laboratory and other buildings.
Being resourceful is important to WES. Conserving energy and following sustainable practices helps us reduce our environmental footprint. Simple, everyday habits such as turning off lights and computer monitors when not in use are very effective. In fact, these practices helped WES recently surpass five million kilowatt-hours saved at our Tri-City facility, which translates into nearly $255,000 in savings, and benefits our customers and the environment.
In 2020, we look forward to once again working with community groups to improve the health of our watersheds. Our
RiverHealth Stewardship Program provides grants to groups like the Rivers of Life Center, one of
14 grant recipients in 2019
, who are working with at-risk teenagers to create a new wildlife habitat and make other improvements at Phillips Creek. You can
read about this ambitious project here
.
On behalf of Water Environment Services, I wish you a happy and healthy New Year.
Sincerely,
Greg Geist,
WES Director
