Wastewater

The City of Woodburn owns and operates a Wastewater Treatment Plant (WWTP) and Collection System located in the northern part of Marion County. The Treatment Plant Facility is situated off Highway 211 on approximately 140 acres of land, east of Maclaren School for Boys. The treatment facility is an Oregon Class IV System and the Collection System is an Oregon Class III. The wastewater treatment plant provides primary, secondary, and tertiary treatment along with effluent reuse. Treated effluent is either discharged to the Pudding River or irrigated to a poplar tree reuse system. The City provides secondary wastewater treatment from November 1 to April 30 and tertiary treatment with reuse from May 1 to October 31, depending on receiving stream flow.

Wastewater Treatment Plant & Poplar Tree Reuse System

The wastewater treatment plant operations includes activities and tasks that have the potential of affecting the public’s health or the environment. Operator’s actions could change the treatment plant’s effluent or bio-solids quality. Operational activities confirm process modes, change process modes, handle treatment plant products, and maintain product quality. The activities directly determine effluent and biosolids quality that could affect public health. The activities use the majority of the direct and indirect materials consumed at the POTW. Most POTW energy and chemical use is consumed in process control activities at the treatment plant and lift stations. POTW operators operate the treatment plant, poplar reuse system, lift stations, and force mains.

The section is responsible for activities centered at the treatment plant, including the natural treatment processes. Activities include treatment operations, reuse operations, pre-treatment program and laboratory services and maintenance. It is under the direction of the Water Resources Division Manager and supervised by the Treatment Plant Section Supervisor. The plant organization is broken down into plant operations, reuse operations and plant maintenance with administrative support; the section currently has 11 full time employees. The accomplishments include: Completed Recycle Water Use Plan. Prepared and provided to customers the second Woodburn Water Works newsletter; Completed Biosolids Land Application site approvals through DEQ, approximately 1000 acres permitted of land application of Biosolids with a local farm operation; Awarded Biosolids Handling Services to an outside contractor. Dredged and Land applied approximately 560 dry tons of material on the permitted land; Completed annual Biosolids, Water Reuse Report to DEQ; Completed Wastewater Revenue Bond Sale; Participated in numerous Public Outreach Events, Oregon Earth Day, House Hold Hazardous Waste, Public Works Week, Plant Tours.

Hazardous Waste: Discharging hazardous waste into the City wastewater sewer system, even in small quantities is a prohibited discharge, as defined in City’s Sewer Use Ordinance (SUO) #2556. The City’s SUO protects the biological treatment processes, employees and the environment from discharges that are harmful. Please refer to our list of Hazardous Waste Information Guide to learn how and where to recycle of dangerous chemicals.