city news...
Nov 13,2008
Portland Loos Coming Soon...
by jenniferd
I can hardly hold it -- the excitement I feel in letting you know that the Portland Loos will make their much awaited debut early this December. What is a Portland Loo, you ask? The Portland Loo is Portland's newest form of relief -- a place to go when you gotta go. No longer will you have to hold it until you get home because conveniently located on the street corner will be on oasis to Portland's bladder stretched coffee fiends -- a bathroom. (You might also have heard them referred to as Leonard's Loos in honor of Commissioner Randy Leonard who has so delicately taken these toities from conception to fruition.) The Portland Loo offers high durability and a unique and balanced blend of privacy and security, all at a cost that is a fraction of current stand-alone restroom models. The Loo can be installed almost anywhere that water and sewer hookups are available. They will be open 24/7 and are ADA accsesible. The Loos are solar powered. The first Loo will be installe
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posted at 12:27 PM
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Nov 13,2008
Water Bureau Temporarily Turns Off Bull Run Water Supply
by jenniferd
The Water Bureau temporarily turned off the Bull Run water supply system this morning due to increased turbidity in the watershed. The bureau activated groundwater wells in the Columbia South Shore Well Field to temporarily serve water to Portland. Recent heavy rains and increased stream flows in the Bull Run watershed have contributed to this rapid increase in turbidity. Turbidity is a measurement of the cloudiness of (drinking) water by suspended particles. Portland is one of six large drinking water systems in the country that does not filter its water supply. The city is able to comply with federal drinking water regulations by continuously meeting a set of filtration avoidance criteria. Portland has been able to consistently meet these criteria, but it occasionally has to shut down the Bull Run system and operate from its backup groundwater supply when storms and other natural disturbances in the Bull Run reservoirs increase the turbidity. The Surface Water Treatment Rule
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posted at 10:32 AM
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Oct 23,2008
Night, Night City Fountains
by jenniferd
One by one, the Portland Water Bureau is putting its fountains to sleep for the winter. So, if you haven't gotten in your quality time, better do it ... like today! Very few remain awake. So far, Water Bureau Fountain Man John Bee has turned off: Lovejoy Fountain Animals in Pools Fountains Skidmore Fountain Holladay Park Fountain McCoy Fountain Elk Fountain Salmon Street Springs Fountain Ira Keller Fountain Jamison Square Fountain The Water Bureau turns fountains off for the winter in order to prevent their fountain-parts from being damaged by the cold and also to have a chance to do any necessary maintenance and repair work. To find out which fountains are still running, visit www.portlandonline.com/water/fountains Sleep tight fountains. See you in the springtime! Jennie Day-Burget Portland Water Bureau
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posted at 04:30 PM
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Oct 2,2008
Metal Thieves "Metaling" Again
by jenniferd
One of the Portland Water Bureau's meter readers recently reported a growing number of missing meter lids on the eastside of our city. The problem areas are around NE Alberta and 16th - 18th streets and SE Hawthorne and 25th. These lids are, presumably, stolen property. The Water Bureau will make every attempt to replace these lids as soon as possible as the missing lids create a safety hazard for the public. Their absence leaves a hole in the ground where someone (or something) could potentially trip or get stuck. Please be on the look out for missing meter lids and call 503-823-4874 to report a lid missing, or Water Bureau security at 503-823-8064 should you suspect that your meter lid has been stolen. The Water Bureau has been plagued by a series of metal thefts over the past several years including historical site plaques , fountain parts and hardware and drinking fountain bowls . Jennie Burget Interim Public Information Officer Portland Water Bureau
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posted at 02:27 PM
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Sep 24,2008
Portland Voted Greenest City In The U.S.
by Agent503
According to a ranking by SustainLane, Portland is the greenest city in the nation. The rankings track the unfolding story of cities working to improve their residents’ quality of life. Cities with decentralized energy supplies, renewable water sources, abundant mass transit etc score high. Green building and land use policies also play an important role in determining who's green and who's not. Portland's placing at the top may not come as a surprise to many, but the city may not be as green as it's made out to be. Find out more here . Related Info: Portland is the Greenest U.S. City-Well, Mostly!
posted at 01:20 PM
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Sep 16,2008
The Portland Water Bureau Invites Public to Bike Safety Event This Afternoon
by jenniferd
WHAT : Portland Water Bureau hosts bike safety event to alert cyclists about the hazards of riding near big trucks. WHEN : Tuesday, September 16, 2008; 4:00 pm to 6:00 pm WHERE : Rose Quarter's Benton Parking Lot at N. Broadway and N. Larrabee Street The Portland Water Bureau is hosting a two-hour event to spotlight the daily safety concerns of bicycles and large trucks on city streets this afternoon. The public is invited to participate in or simply observe this event. Bike commuters will have an opportunity to sit in the driver's seat of several of the Water Bureau's huge maintenance vehicles to see the many blind spots and other dangers of riding near large trucks. The Water Bureau will also show a short video it produced that illustrates these hazards and informs cyclists of ways to help ensure their safety by being visible to both car and truck drivers. The Water Bureau is joined by the Bicycle Transportation Alliance (BTA). The organization recent
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posted at 09:07 AM
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Sep 10,2008
Benson Bubbler Brochure Now Available
by jenniferd
I am so excited to announce that the Portland Water Bureau has proudly unveiled a new brochure on Portland's iconic Benson Bubblers, this week. Portland's Benson Bubblers -An Icon. A Legacy ., includes information about the history and conservation efforts associated with the Bubblers, as well as a map of their downtown locations. It is a beautiful piece, rich with photographs and illustrations. You can either download a PDF version here or call (503) 823-7510 and ask to have a copy mailed to you. Jennie Burget Interim Public Information Officer Portland Water Bureau
posted at 10:49 AM
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Aug 27,2008
Presentation Leads Water Blogmistress to Strong Realization
by jenniferd
I had a really neat experience yesterday. I was invited to the adidas campus, located in North Portland, to talk about the excellent quality of Portland's tap water . The folks over at adidas have organized a group of "sustainability ambassadors," who are working to improve "green" practices at their company, from head to toe. The idea is that the ambassadors meet periodically and not only decide on changes they would like to implement company-wide, but also to learn information to transmit to co-workers. I spent about 1/2 hour talking to this group of people about Portland's great tap water and worked on dispelling many of the myths and fears that people have about drinking from the tap . I was delighted that they not only listened incredibly intently to my presentation, but they also asked some great follow-up questions. I could tell that this group was really thinking about what I had told them. They even invited me back for their health fair in October. T
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posted at 11:29 AM
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Aug 26,2008
NW Irving Sewer Repair Update
by shooter
The City's contractor has begun installing service laterals near NW 23rd and Irving. The crew will likely be at NW 23rd Avenue by the middle of next week, 9/3/08. One week look ahead: • Installation of five more laterals before reaching NW 23rd Ave. • Installation of service laterals at NW 23rd on or around Wednesday September, 3rd. • Connection of laterals near NW 23rd will likely impact traffic. Flaggers will be onsite to assist with traffic flow. • The contractor will be removing some of the equipment that has been staged on Irving between NW 22nd and NW 23rd. This equipment is no longer needed and will make room to work on the laterals in that block. • Please observe the no parking signs on NW Irving to ensure that your vehicle does not obstruct the sewer work. We expect the crew to install an average of two or three laterals a day. During lateral construction, the crew will do their best to work on one side of the street to allow for lo
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posted at 09:51 AM
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Aug 21,2008
East Portland Works for Needed Improvements
by shooter
I think this article from the Tribune demonstrates how a well-organized group of citizens can, with persistence, get the attention of City Hall. The East Portland Action Plan Committee met for 8 months developing a plan to improve East Portland, and bring in much needed amenities and services required for the higher density growth they have experienced. I looked at the draft East Portland Action Plan, it is extensive and ambitious. I think the committee should be commended for its efforts and results.Here are some important Portland Online links related to the East Portland Action Plan:
General Information
East Portland Review
Draft of the Action Plan
East Portland Action Plan Area Map
The East Portland Action Plan Implementation Team will meet monthly from Sept through Dec, starting Sept 25 from 6PM to 9PM, location to be determined. Stay informed and participate, your input is important to
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posted at 12:33 PM
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