Sandy Clean Waters

Consent Decree Information

Sandy is subject to a Consent Decree with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, which requires us to make substantial improvements to our wastewater system to improve performance and increase capacity.

Sandy has unique limitations on our ability to discharge from our wastewater treatment plant. The Three Basin Rule caps Sandy at 1970s discharge levels, making our wastewater projects vastly more complicated and expensive. Click here to lean more about Sandy's unique regulatory restrictions.

Reducing wastewater flows to the treatment plant:
- Pausing new sewer connection applications: The City of Sandy is currently not accepting new land use applications that propose new sewer connections. Slowing the rate of new connections will give the sewer system improvements time to catch up with the community’s growth and aging infrastructure. This step is being taken in coordination with the Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) and Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) as part of ongoing enforcement proceedings under the Clean Water Act.
- Fixing our aging sewer pipes: As sewer pipes get older, they weaken, which allows rainwater and groundwater into the sewers that mix with wastewater. In wet weather our aging pipes get filled with groundwater and stormwater, resulting in flows that overwhelm our treatment plant. This problem is called ‘inflow and infiltration.’ Reducing the amount of rainwater and groundwater entering the sewers is the first step in the City’s plan to improve the wastewater system.

Fixing Sandy’s existing treatment plant: the plant is aging and has capacity issues that have led to past violations. We are fixing the plant so Sandy stays in permit compliance.
Expanding system capacity and finding a new discharge solution: we need to add additional capacity to the system, beyond the upgrades to the existing treatment plant. This will include adding new treatment infrastructure to process higher volumes of water, and establishing an alternative location to discharge the treated clean water because of the limited size of Tickle Creek.
Keeping sewer rates as affordable as possible: To help pay for the project and keep rates affordable we have sought and received several low-interest loans and grants. Sandy secured a $14.7 million grant through the American Rescue Plan Act, $67.5 million in low-interest loans for Oregon Department of Environmental Quality and $25 million in low-interest federal WIFIA loans.