Sewer
CLICK HERE TO LEARN ABOUT THE SANDY CLEAN WATERS PROJECT.
The City of Sandy provides sanitary sewer service to City residents where service is available. Most of the City is served by the system except for a small area on Langensand south of Dubarko Rd. and on Bluff Road north of Bell Street.
Sandy's sewage is treated at a plant off of Jarl Road. Treated effluent is discharged to Tickle Creek, a tributary of Deep Creek (and ultimately the Clackamas River) between November 1st and April 30th. As part of an innovative re-use program, Iseli Nursery uses our treated wastewater to supplement their existing irrigation supplies between May 1st and October 30th.
The treatment plant was placed into service in 1998. It is capable of treating 1.25 million gallons per day during dry weather and up to 4 million gallons per day during wet weather. An activated sludge process is used followed by effluent filtration. Ultraviolet (UV) light is used to disinfect the treated wastewater eliminating chlorine disinfection, which tends to harm beneficial aquatic species.
Since chlorine disinfection ceased in 1998 salmon (primarily coho) have returned to Tickle Creek upstream of the treatment plant.
As it leaves local homes and businesses, Sandy’s sewage travels through a network of buried pipelines and pumps (the sewer collection system) to Sandy’s wastewater treatment plant. The final use of the water from the treatment plant depends on time of year.
In winter treated water is returned to Tickle Creek (which goes into the Clackamas River). Higher winter flows from rain and snow increase the creek’s capability to accept treated wastewater without harming aquatic life.
In summer the City produces highly treated “recycled water” that is used to irrigate plants at a nearby nursery. The City is proud to be conserving water resources through this longstanding, successful water recycling program.
WASTEWATER SYSTEM IMPROVEMENTS
Despite improved operations, the City's wastewater treatment plant has been unable to reliably meet federal/state permit requirements. Sandy is also a growing community – in just 20 years its population has doubled to 11,000 residents and will double again over the next 20 years. Investments are needed immediately to treat that wastewater and comply with laws designed to protect our streams and rivers.
The City of Sandy is working closely with the Oregon Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) to address the community’s wastewater challenges. Sandy is committed to keeping customers informed about plans for wastewater improvements, protecting water quality in local streams and rivers – and keeping service affordable. The city is currently working with engineers and consultants to explore alternative treatment options and water recycling opportunities and prepare the preliminary design plans for the existing wastewater treatment plant upgrades and repairs to the collection system.
