|
 |
|
|
|
1 Aug 2010 | ||||||||||||||
|
|
||||||||||||||||
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||
 | |||||||||||||||
|
|
|
Tigard and Lake Oswego Explore Water Partnership Can Lake Oswego and Tigard save money for ratepayers and address long-term water supply needs by forming a water partnership? These have been the key questions of a year-long study looking into long-term water options for the two neighboring cities. In a joint meeting of the Intergovernmental Water Board and the Lake Oswego and Tigard City Councils on July 17, the group agreed that preliminary study results look promising. The study is based on projected water use and population growth over the next 35 years. The group agreed to form a task force to develop a draft water supply partnership agreement and to initiate a public outreach program. Tigard does not have its own water supply source and currently relies on wholesale water purchase agreements to meet current water needs. Developing a water supply partnership with Lake Oswego would assure Tigard of a long-term supply that would be less expensive than some other options also under consideration. The chief advantage of a partnership arrangement for Lake Oswego is cost savings and protection of its valuable Clackamas River water rights. Lake Oswego's water system is nearing capacity and needs costly upgrades within the next five years. Under some joint water supply scenarios, a portion of those costs could be shared by Tigard ratepayers. Tigard City Manager Craig Prosser described the results of the study as, "very encouraging." He added, "A joint water partnership could provide substantial benefits to both cities." Public meetings will be held in Lake Oswego and Tigard in late 2007 or early 2008 to give ratepayers an opportunity to find out more and to share their thoughts on the potential partnership. |
|
||||||||||||
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
