LAKE OSWEGO-TIGARD WATER PARTNERSHIP
LO Tigard City Councilors tour WTP
Drinking water is a critical service for public health , fire safety and economic development . In the state of Oregon , two cities are revamping their existing drinking water infrastructure to meet increasing demands and provide high quality drinking water year-round .
The Lake Oswego and Tigard Project is a partnership agreement between the cities of Lake Oswego and Tigard . While the Partnership was established in 2008 , the idea was first conceived in 2005 when the partner cities commissioned a study of the costs and benefits of a partnership for joint water supply .
“ In 2007 the completed study concluded each city would realize significant financial benefit by jointly constructing and operating an expanded water supply system . The financial upside of a partnership was attractive enough to elected officials of the two cities to proceed with a year-long effort to negotiate the terms and conditions of an intergovernmental agreement forming the partnership . “ That agreement was signed in August 2008 and then we were on our way ”, said Joel Komarek , Project Director . The project will upgrade , upsize and expand six existing facilities
178 November 2014