Protecting Our Drinking Water
Customers of the Corbett Water District continue to enjoy relatively pristine drinking water from upper Gordon Creek watershed, a tributary of the Sandy River. To ensure our water quality remains high, and ample quantity is available for present and future generations, the District is embarking on identifying potential risks to our primary water source.
The process of identifying risks to our primary drinking water source began with grant funds made available through Oregon Health Authority and Oregon Department of Environmental Quality. These funds have enabled us to hire water consulting firm GSI Water Solutions, Inc., and to form a team of landowners within the watershed as well as customers within the District (Risk Reduction Team). The Team began to identify risk factors in our watershed that can affect our water quantity and quality.
This project kicked off in March 2023 with GSI and District staff gathering information on the Gordon Creek watershed and the District’s infrastructure. The Risk Reduction Team continues to meet several times throughout this project. As results become available, two public meetings are being held to provide results and seek public input. A draft Risk Reduction Plan will be developed and presented to the Corbett Water District Board in early 2024.
Once a Risk Reduction Plan for the Gordon Creek Watershed is adopted by the Board, the District will develop a Drinking Water Source Protection Plan, and ultimately implement the Protection Plan. This stepwise process will allow ample input from the Corbett community and stakeholders in the watershed while we work toward protecting our drinking water.
At the end of September 2023, the Corbett community gathered together to discuss the potential risks to our Gordon Creek watershed.
Watch a recording of the meeting here. The recording password is: !c7saU1u
See the slide show presentation from our facilitators Suzanne de Szoeke and Leah Cogan of GSI Water Solutions, Inc.
See the Risk Prioritization Matrix
See a recording of the Risk Prioritization Public Meeting
