Emergency Water Distribution System

This report was submitted by Philip Sterling to be added as a blog post.

OTNA Board members Philip Sterling and Betsy Wosko visited the City’s water

pumping station on 10th and C on October 7th to listen and participate in a session regarding distribution of water during an emergency event.

This informal session was led by Cole Trusty, Water Treatment Plant Operator, Public

Works, City of Lake Oswego. Also attending were several residents and neighborhood association members.

Cole has designed a makeshift plan that is still under review and needs further input. He has assembled an example water piping structure that could be replicated and placed at various sites in rapid fashion in the event of earthquake or other event that causes loss of power and water.

The idea is that this simple free standing water piping structure could readily be

connected to a fire hydrant or other water source; allowing residents to carry jugs and fill them with potable water.

Cole indicated that the city’s pumps are designed to automatically shut down during an earthquake, and then brought back up within 24 hours. However residents may need an alternative emergency plan to allow fresh water to be distributed by accessing the portable piping structure that Cole built.

There were several ideas and questions that remain. For example, if the city pumps

aren’t able to be brought back up, the residents may still be able to receive water, as the

city has gravity fed water that comes from several storage tanks at high locations in the

surrounding area.

Cole mentioned that the city would be able to inform residents via email the plan and

location of water distribution mechanisms.

Further recommendations include:

1. Cole would like to visit each neighborhood to gain further understanding of

neighbor concerns

2. Cole would like to give a hands on demonstration to the neighborhood board and

interested residents

3. A suggestion is that a person be designated at each neighborhood association to

be the point person for releasing information to the residents during an

emergency, and being available for questions

4. Further work needs to be done with regards to the water distribution location sites.