us Public urination fiasco is forcing Portland to drain 38 million gallons of treated water

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Public urination fiasco is forcing Portland to drain 38 million gallons of treated water

 

For the second time in three years, one man's urine is forcing the city of Portland, Ore., to drain millions of gallons of treated water currently stored in an open reservoir. The first time someone was caught pissing in one of these open storage facilities back in 2011 the city ended up draining 7.5 million gallons of water, Fox News reports. But this time around, the urine made its way into an even larger reservoir, so the city is now planning to dump the entirety of the its contents ? contents that amount to 38 million gallons of treated water ? directly into the city's sewage system.

 

Even though city officials say that the urine doesn't pose any sort of health risk, the reality is that people just don't want to ingest water that they think is tainted. Portland's bureau administrator David Shaff told Fox News that "our customers don't anticipate drinking water that's been contaminated by some yahoo who decided to pee into a reservoir" ? so out it goes.

 

According to city officials, the person responsible for the urinary discharge is a 19-year-old male. He and two other men were videotaped trying to scale the reservoir's metal fence around 1am on Wednesday morning. The tape also shows the young man peeing through the enclosure. As a result, he has been cited for public urination.

 

Last time this happened, the city ended up paying $7,500 in disposal costs and lost at least $28,000 in revenue. But draining the reservoir shouldn't pose a problem for Portland's thirsty citizens, officials said. They still have plenty of clean water to meet demand and 38 million gallons will be easy to replace. It's hard not point out, however, that animals must pee and defecate in Portland's open reservoirs on a regular basis. So, in the grand scheme of things, this 19-year-old's pee really just seems like one too many. The city, Fox News reports, is now testing the reservoir's water for quality, despite having already decided to dump the water. The results are due today.

 

Source: The Verge

[techbeck]

Dont see how this is a problem when animals probably have gone a lot in the reservoir.  Water has to be treated anyway before anyone uses it.

[NateB1]

I live near Portland, and the water remains untreated all the way to the faucet - the water quality is naturally so high that it doesn't need to be treated.  As a result, the tap water here tastes absolutely amazing compared to most other parts of the US, and is the reason why the city of Portland is (foolishly) draining all 38 million gallons of water from the reservoir. 

[FloatingFatMan]

So... What about all the animals that pee and poo into that water? What about all dead animals in it, and the general junk that people throw into reservoirs?

 

You're not seriously telling me that water goes straight from reservoir to tap, are you?

 

Ridiculous.

[adrynalyne]

So... What about all the animals that pee and poo into that water? What about all dead animals in it, and the general junk that people throw into reservoirs?

 

You're not seriously telling me that water goes straight from reservoir to tap, are you?

 

Ridiculous.

Right?

 

We get CAP water here (not that I drink it) which is piped in from the Colorado River.  There are even rusted cars in there.

 

http://www.cap-az.com/

[episode]

I live near Portland, and the water remains untreated all the way to the faucet - the water quality is naturally so high that it doesn't need to be treated.  As a result, the tap water here tastes absolutely amazing compared to most other parts of the US, and is the reason why the city of Portland is (foolishly) draining all 38 million gallons of water from the reservoir. 

 

Then why does the article point out multiple times that is in fact treated?

[techbeck]

Right?

 

We get CAP water here (not that I drink it) which is piped in from the Colorado River.  There are even rusted cars in there.

 

http://www.cap-az.com/

 

Lived in AZ for 15 years.  Water was waaay treated.  Never want to drink it.

[theyarecomingforyou]

What a ridiculously over-the-top reaction.

[NateB1]

Then why does the article point out multiple times that is in fact treated?

 

From Portland's water bureau website ( http://www.portlandoregon.gov/water/article/327613 ):

 

 

 

Why is the color of my water sometimes different in the fall?

City of Portland water customers may notice a slight color change in the drinking water at their tap in the fall. This change in color is typical for the Bull Run supply during the fall.  This is a normal, seasonal variation in our unfiltered water supply.

The pale tint is due to the seasonal lowering of reservoirs in Bull Run. We start each summer with the reservoirs brim-full, and then use from this stored supply until the rains come again in the fall.

As a result, the two large lakes that are the Bull Run reservoirs are lower in the fall than at other times of the year. Streams flowing into the reservoirs travel farther along the creek beds to reach the reservoirs, running through sediments that are not exposed in other seasons. This can add color to the water.

The color only affects the appearance of the water;  it does not affect the taste or the quality. The water supply continues to meet all state and federal standards for safe drinking water.

Is my water treated by filtration?

No. Bull Run water is unfiltered. The Bull Run source meets the filtration avoidance criteria of the 1989 Surface Water Treatment Rule and has had a waiver from the requirement to filter since 1991.

Is Portland's water soft or hard?

Portland's water is very soft. Hardness of Bull Run water typically ranges from 1/3 to ? a grain of hardness per gallon. Portland's groundwater hardness is approximately 86 parts per million (about 5 grains per gallon), which is considered moderately hard.

What is the pH of Portland's water?

In the distribution system, pH ranges from 7.2 to 8.2.

Does Portland add fluoride to drinking water?

No fluoride is detected in Bull Run water. Portland does not add fluoride to the water. At low levels, fluoride helps prevent dental cavities. The US Public Health Service and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) consider the fluoride levels in Portland's water sources (including groundwater) to be lower than optimal for helping to prevent dental decay. You may want to consult with your dentist about fluoride treatment to help prevent tooth decay, especially for young children.

 

Edit - below, it does state that it is chlorinated slightly.  I guess I should refine my statement to say that it *minimally* treated.

Is it safe to use tap water in my fish tank?

Water for aquariums should be dechlorinated.  The Portland Water Bureau uses chlorine and ammonia to disinfect Portland's water in a process called chloramination. Disinfection is important so humans don't get waterborne diseases. Chloramines can be lethal to fish, however, so it's important to adequately dechlorinate water before it's added to an aquarium.

 

[xrobwx71]

It's all to avoid lawsuits. IMO only. Although, I guess in this litigation happy country one could file a lawsuit for a bird ###### in the reservoir.  :wacko:

[theyarecomingforyou]

Edit - below, it does state that it is chlorinated slightly.  I guess I should refine my statement to say that it *minimally* treated.

Virtually all tap water is chlorinated, so I don't know where you got the impression it isn't. Given that it is treated it's extremely wasteful, financially and environmentally, to drain all that water away when it would have zero impact on human health or the taste of the water.

[Gotenks98]

what the people don't know wont hurt them? Just don't tell anyone. :shiftyninja:

[adrynalyne]

Lived in AZ for 15 years.  Water was waaay treated.  Never want to drink it.

Its worse in Phoenix area.  You can smell the chlorine in it from across the room.

[jwjw1]

I heard Portland paid to have the water tested...but started dumping before the results came back...now the test came back as 'negative' for any contamination. :laugh:

[+Warwagon MVC]