Groundwater Supply Development Program
As East Multnomah County prepared for the June 30, 2026, expiration of its wholesale water purchase agreement, the Cascade Groundwater Alliance (Alliance) faced a defining moment. Formed by the City of Gresham and Rockwood Water People’s Utility District, the Alliance launched the Groundwater Supply Development Program (Program) to strengthen reliability, improve water quality, reduce dependence on purchased water, and create a more affordable long-term supply for the community.
Consor was selected in 2018 to prepare the Program’s groundwater development master plan, helping shape the roadmap for a major expansion of the Alliance’s locally controlled groundwater system. That vision grew into a coordinated program of 10 projects that included new wells, reservoir rehabilitation, new storage, filtration facilities, pump station improvements, and about 10 miles of transmission main.
Delivered across constrained urban sites and overlapping schedules, the Program demanded close coordination across planning, design, procurement, construction support, and system integration. The work also unified new and existing assets through SCADA integration, providing a more connected and efficient system to operate over the long term.
The Program is helping redefine water resilience for the region. With 30 MGD of regional treatment capacity, 6 MG of new treated-water storage at Cascade Reservoir No. 2, and infrastructure built to serve more than 138,000 people, the investment positions the City of Gresham and Rockwood Water People’s Utility District with greater control over their water future and a stronger foundation for generations to come.
