Portland's reservoirs: A bucket of cold water on a misleading campaign

Published: Friday, January 13, 2012, 4:00 AM

By Guest Columnist The Oregonian

By Randy Leonard

On Jan. 3, the In My Opinion piece "City need not waste $137 million on new reservoir" was co-authored by Kent Craford, lobbyist for the Portland Water Users Coalition. This represents the latest in a series of Washington, D.C.-style tactics to mislead the public into believing that the Water Bureau is either wasting the public's money or is engaged in inappropriate public projects.

The Portland Water Users Coalition is actually a special interest group composed of some of Portland's wealthiest individuals and corporations, including Harsch Investment Properties, American Property Management, Widmer Brothers Brewing, Hilton Portland & Executive Tower, Siltronic AG, Sapa, Darigold and Sunshine Dairy Foods.

Through the efforts of their lobbyist, Kent Craford, they have fought anything that they believe does not benefit them directly, including water and sewer programs that help low-income and senior citizens who have trouble paying their bills.

Now they claim that the construction of a second 50-million-gallon water storage tank at Powell Butte -- which will provide essential storage to Portland's water system -- is a wasteful, federally mandated project that need not be built if Portland would fight the feds harder.

As the members of the Water Users Coalition know, the new reservoir at Powell Butte is not mandated by the federal government. The city has planned since the 1980s to construct a second reservoir at Powell Butte because of the necessity of more "in town" water storage. Portlanders must have a reliable supply of water if any of our existing major water storage facilities fail, or if they are shut down for maintenance, seismic improvements and other serious structural work. In short, whether or not we are required to cover the reservoirs at Mount Tabor and Washington Park, the construction of this 50-million-gallon storage tank is essential.

While members of the Water Users Coalition are focused on improving their bottom lines, the Water Bureau is continuing a proud heritage of preparing for our future water needs by constructing projects that will ensure the reliable delivery of our most precious resource ... Bull Run water.

The Water Bureau also has a proud tradition of community service and involvement. From the early 1900s, when the Water Bureau's Dodge Park was a regular gathering place for Portlanders, until today, the Water Bureau has utilized its many assets to maximize public benefit of our facilities. Key examples include the bureau's seven Hydro Parks, which have been converted from fenced areas into open community spaces in neighborhoods all over Portland, and the bureau's partnerships with the East Portland Neighborhood Coalition and the Rose Festival, who both now use previously derelict Water Bureau buildings as their headquarters.

What the Portland Water Users Coalition calls misuse of the Water Bureau's assets is in reality community partnering. Using our assets to maximize public benefit and, simultaneously, to preserve prized community institutions should be a model for other utilities to follow, rather than touted as examples of how the wealthy might save money.

Portlanders should know the facts and the special interests behind "messaging" intended to manipulate our important public assets.

City Commissioner Randy Leonard oversees the Portland Water Bureau.