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City of Prineville Celebrates Earth Day with Groundbreaking for New Wetlands and Environmentally-friendly Wastewater Treatment System

Name
Erin McDuff
City
Prineville
Release Date

Today, the City of Prineville in central Oregon celebrated Earth Day by breaking ground for the new Crooked River Wetlands. A component of the city’s wastewater system improvements funded by USDA Rural Development along with state and local partners, the wetlands will utilize the natural environment for the disposal of treated wastewater while also providing recreational opportunities for residents with new hiking trails and educational kiosks. This $8.9 million project will improve water quality in the Crooked River and for the local community while enabling the city to meet its growing needs.

“The Crooked River Wetlands exemplifies environmentally-friendly growth and development in rural areas,” said USDA Rural Development State Director Vicki Walker. “Every day, small communities face the challenges of maintaining and upgrading their infrastructure while protecting the natural resources valued by their residents and visitors alike. USDA is proud to play a part in ensuring adequate utilities for the City of Prineville while protecting the local environment and helping to support the town’s sustained economic vitality.”

Prineville’s current wastewater system began operation in 1960, and today it serves 9,253 residents. With assistance from a USDA Rural Development loan of $4 million and a grant of $1 million provided through the Water and Waste Disposal Program, along with funding from state and local partners, the city will install new sewer main lines, upgrade the pump station, and make improvements to the existing lagoon aeration system. The project will improve the treatment capabilities of the plant, increase its overall capacity, and improve its efficiency. These upgrades will also reduce wastewater infiltration into the soil.

A key feature of the system improvements is the addition of treated wastewater disposal wetlands, which will eliminate the city’s need to discharge treated wastewater directly into the Crooked River. The 120 acres of new wetlands will increase the storage and effluent disposal capacity of the plant while protecting water quality and benefitting numerous species of fish and wildlife. The wetlands will also feature over five miles of new hiking trails, more than half of which will be paved for year-round use. In addition, local schools are helping to develop 13 information kiosks that will be located around the wetlands and display information on topics such as the Crooked River Watershed.

The improved wastewater system has been designed to meet Prineville’s needs for the next several decades, and the system is easily expandable to address the city’s requirements beyond that timeframe. This innovative solution to the city’s wastewater requirements is also significantly less expensive than the alternative of building a mechanical treatment plant, saving Prineville $57 million over the life of the project.

By utilizing the natural environment to treat the city’s wastewater, Prineville is substantially reducing its costs, helping to stabilize future utility rates, and supporting a thriving local economy while also protecting water quality and a healthy watershed for future generations.

Since 2009, USDA Rural Development (#USDARD) has invested $11 billion to start or expand 103,000 rural businesses; help 1.1 million rural residents buy homes; fund nearly 7,000 community facilities, such as schools, public safety, and healthcare facilities; finance 180,000 miles of electric transmission and distribution lines; and help bring high-speed Internet access to nearly 6 million rural residents and businesses. For more information, visit www.usda.gov/results.