Efforts by the city of Aumsville to raise money for a new water treatment plan have received a $5 million shot in the arm.
In the closing days of the 2023 Legislature the city received $5 million from the Legislature’s capital budget to assist with the project. The appropriation gives Aumsville $9.5 million toward the $28 million it needs to build a new water treatment plant that will meet state Department of Environmental Quality standards that were revised in 2019.
The key issue, said City Administrator Ron Harding, “is the ammonia content and the fact that the city’s lagoon treatment facility could not meet the newer standards set by DEQ.”
Failing to meet the standards means no shot at receiving the required National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System discharge permit that would allow the city to discharge effluent into the North Santiam River, Harding said.
In a letter to constituents thanking them for their support, Mayor Angelica Ceja said “your support was vital in helping us receive these funds because we could show our community was engaged in the issue and concerned about our ability to maintain affordable utility rates.”
Ceja, Harding and other city officials discussed the water issue and affordable housing with Governor Tina Kotek, who stopped in Aumsville on June 23 during the Marion County portion of her listening tour.
In her letter, Ceja thanked Kotek for visiting while also praising state Sen. Fred Girod and state Rep. Ed Diehl for their efforts in securing Aumsville the $5 million from the Legislature.
“We’re not done,” said Ceja. She went door to door in town earlier this spring to explain the water treatment situation to residents. “The city will continue to look for additional grant opportunities, and we have done a good job of positioning the city for some grants in the form of loan forgiveness. There is no guarantee, but we are hopeful we can position the city to receive an additional $5-8 million in grants during the loan stage of this project. This should provide funding for more than 50% of the project.
“Finally, let me thank our community for stepping up to help. It’s a very powerful statement to say to our state and federal representatives that our community is engaged in this issue, and we are working together to meet the state requirements while making this project sustainable for our community.”
Harding said the city continues to seek funds from the legislature, grants, and funding programs offered by the state and the federal government. The city is facing a 2028 deadline to meet the new requirements.
