E. 40th Project

September 19, 2024

Water Storage Site Landscaping: Expect activity at the water storage site

Crews have completed backfilling around the new water storage tanks. EWEB and our contractors are now preparing for the final phase of the project. The tanks will be enclosed with fencing and screened by vegetation, while portions of the site will be re-landscaped for public use.

Read previous news and announcements

Landscaping and amenities

With tank and pipeline construction complete, EWEB will re-landscaping the site to improve neighbor viewsheds and create public amenities that are appropriate to the neighborhood. The landscape design responds to local neighborhood desires for vegetated screening of the tanks, native habitat restoration, and enhanced pollinator resources.

Learn more about the landscape design.

Facts about the project

• The property, which EWEB purchased in the 1950s specifically for this use, is more than 10 acres and approximately 2.5 acres is used for water storage.

• The two 7.5 million gallon tanks are concrete and are partially buried. They will be surrounded by wrought-iron fence and have vegetative screening to blend in as much as possible with the existing landscape.

• A new 36-inch water transmission main was constructed between West Amazon St. and the intersection of East 40th Ave. and Patterson St.

• 265 trees were removed for construction of the tanks (approximately 25% of the total trees on the site).

• Downed wood was kept in the community. Most was donated to a City of Eugene wetlands restoration project, where they will continue to provide habitat long into the future, and for public use projects in the Southeast Neighborhood and also the City of Springfield.

• After construction, the remainder of the property (approximately 8 acres) will remain open to the public. Habitat will be restored or enhanced to support a diverse community of native plants and animals, with a focus on restoring oak and prairie-dominated habitat that historically characterized the area.

• The entire construction process will take around 3 years from earthwork to re-landscaping.

Building for earthquake resiliency

There's always the possibility that a natural or human-caused disaster could affect us here in the Pacific Northwest. The most significant hazard that could affect EWEB facilities is a Cascadia Subduction Zone earthquake. Here are some of the design and engineering features that make Eugene's newest base-level drinking water storage tanks safe, reliable, and earthquake-proof:

1. Elevation of 607 feet allows gravity to transport water to the network of pipes without relying on electric pumps.

2. Two smaller tanks instead of one large one provides redundancy.

3. Heigh and roof designed to withstand seismic-induced slosh waves.

4. Tanks are constructed out of reinforced, pre-stressed concrete to achieve a high load capacity both laterally and vertically.

5. Each tank is wrapped in 90 miles of high-strength steel wire, which is then encased in shotcrete.

6. Flexible pipe couplings have double-ball joints that can move in every direction.

7. Secure fencing protects water from contamination, vandalism, and other threats.

8. Anchored flexible base connection between the floor and wall allows load transfer in a seismic event. 

9. Remotely operated seismic valves can isolate the tanks from the distribution system downstream.

Watch a video about earthquake-proof features of East 40th water storage tanks.

Important considerations

As is common with major infrastructure projects, EWEB invested years in the research and planning process for the water storage at East 40th, including an ecological survey, geological report and a Triple Bottom Line assessment to evaluate construction options from the perspectives of habitat impacts, costs and disruption to the site and to neighbors. The research and planning process was invaluable to our ability to make a well-informed and sustainable decision for the entire community that we serve.

Here are some of the considerations that went into the design of the E. 40th water storage facility:

• • Drinking water safety and quality - This is paramount. All final decisions around aesthetics and public access ensure that drinking water and the facilities/equipment that distribute that water are secure and protected from contamination and service disruptions. 

• • Elevation - The top of the water surface must be at 607 feet above sea level and the tank height must match other planned and existing tanks to meet the hydraulic pressure requirements of gravity-supplied drinking water storage.

• • Access - Adequate access is required for maintenance and emergency vehicles.

• • Future planning - The site layout accommodates space for future replacement in 50+ years.

• • Proximity to residences - To the extent possible, tank siting maximizes the distance between construction and location of tanks and neighbors' property lines.

• • Viewsheds - Minimizes permanent visual impacts by preserving trees and minimizing the number of neighbors who have changes to their viewscapes.

• • Truck traffic - Minimizing construction truck trips generated by the removal of mass excavation spoils and the import of backfill material. 

• • Construction duration - Minimizing traffic, noise, dust, vibration and disruption on Patterson Street during utility installation. 

• • Habitat - Minimizing impacts to Strategy Habitats (according to Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife's Oregon Conservation Strategy) that are of greatest conservation need and provide important benefits to Strategy Species.

• • Equipment emissions - Minimizing CO2 emissions from construction equipment and trucks.

• • Trees - Minimizing the removal of trees overall and remove trees only when it is necessary to do so.

• • Comparative construction costs - All EWEB customers bear the cost of these improvements. As always, we seek to be efficient and manage operating costs for the benefit of all customers and without creating inequity or disparities across geographic or income groups.