WES Technical Advisory Team - October 22, 2026

The WES Technical Advisory Team meeting on October 22, 2026, included approval of the prior meeting minutes and an update on the regional INI intergovernmental agreement amendment, which was awaiting one member community’s signature. WES Capital Program Manager Jeff Stallard presented a draft five-year capital improvement plan beginning in fiscal year 2027–28. The presentation cited $238.9 million in wastewater projects and $27.4 million in surface-water projects, focused primarily on system reliability and capacity. The plan is not yet approved: comments will be incorporated before it goes to the advisory committee next month and then to the WES board. WES anticipates asking the board for five years of rate increases of about 5% annually and expects to use user charges, system development charges, and borrowing to fund projects.

Procurement and project updates included WES having solicited RFPs and negotiated with the selected Jacobs and Carollo team for design work on a project involving wet-weather treatment, Rossman landfill closure, and related site changes; design was expected to begin the following month. The Middle Clackamas Interceptor project is preparing to go to bid and is expected to use a State Revolving Fund loan; ODOT permitting reviews delayed the schedule. The Rock Creek Interceptor is working through easement acquisition, with bidding anticipated in winter and construction the following summer. The presentation also noted rising construction costs, contractor availability, and uncertainty about system development charge revenues as risks to delivery and budgets. No contract award or CIP approval vote was reported. Members also briefly discussed Oregon City’s preliminary consideration of a data-center moratorium and possible water and sewer demand impacts.