City staff and engineers are regularly surveying the site on Corvallis Road, where contractors continue clearing brush and removing trees to prepare for Independence’s new Water Treatment Plant. These early efforts mark an important step in securing safe, reliable drinking water for residents for the next 20+ years.

The Corvallis Road location was selected for its proximity to Independence’s water rights on the Willamette River, a critical resource the city could lose without an updated treatment and distribution system. The future plant will include a new water intake, treatment system, pumping station, and a 2-million-gallon reservoir, all part of the long-term improvements identified in the 2023 Water Master Plan.

This project is being developed in partnership with the city of Monmouth and Polk County, allowing us to share costs and develop a regional system that’s more efficient and resilient than building separate facilities — a long-term investment designed to reduce overall expenses for everyone served by the system.

Design and construction are expected to continue over the next several years, with water delivery projected around 2030.

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