Water Environment Services

Maintaining an attractive lawn that is functional and beneficial to the urban environment is easier than you might think. Here are some tips on how to reduce the environmental impact of your lawn-care practices. 

Safest

Annually aerate, de-thatch and over-seed bare spots in spring. This will keep the lawn dense and healthy, which keeps out weeds. Use a long-handled weed removal tool for easy weed removal. Fertilize only in fall with a slow release fertilizer, if at all.

Next Best

If you choose a weed or insect control product, look for the OMRI label which helps identify less hazardous chemicals. Always read and follow the label, as even natural/organic products can be harmful. Only apply products when multiple dry days are forecast. Spot spray only the individual weeds you really can’t live with!

Important Measures You Can Take

Do not apply pesticides, herbicides or fertilizers under windy conditions, or when rain, snow or hail is predicted within the next 48 hours.

Consider hiring an ECOBIZ certified landscaper!

How pesticides can be harmful

Pesticides can cause problems for our health and the environment even when applied according to label directions.

• Pesticides can make their way into waterways through run-off and leaching.
• Very small amounts of pesticides can be lethal to beneficial insects and birds.
• Pesticides in waterways pollute drinking water and can harm fish and other marine life.

Be pesticide wise

Always read and follow directions on the label. Labels have important information on how, when and where to use products. The label also has safe handling and first aid instructions.

The largest part of the label, Directions for Use, includes specific information about how much pesticide should be mixed and applied, where the pesticide may be used and how often applications may be made. More is not better.

• Avoid broad spectrum pesticides that can kill or harm many beneficial species
• Look for plant-based insecticides that use oils and extracts from plants to deter insects
• Use fragrant plants to repel insects

Ensure that people and pets are not exposed.

Prevention is the key to a green yard and a clean river

Starting out with a healthy lawn or landscape is the best way to prevent weeds from coming in. Healthy soil and dense groundcover, whether grass or other plants, will inhibit weeds in the first place. Bare soil is an invitation to weeds. Keep weeds from getting established:

• Plant native trees and shrubs that thrive in Oregon’s wet winters and hot, dry summers
• Mulch trees and shrubs to lock in moisture and prevent weeds from sprouting
• Use weed block fabric in areas not heavily planted

Ask yourself if you can live with a few weeds? When you do find weeds that you just can’t live with, you have choices:

1. Remove the weeds by hand*, or with tools such as a dandelion fork. For those that spread by seed, cut and remove before they go to seed.
2. If you decide to spray, spot spray the few weeds you really can’t live with, only when necessary.
3. Reseed the spot treated areas with grass seed, lawn patch or a replacement plant.
4. Fertilize and weed your plants separately. Weed n’ feed products combine fertilizer and herbicide. When you use these products you may over apply herbicide. Use only the products you need!

*Note: some weeds are difficult to control and may require special techniques to successfully eradicate it. Examples include knotweed, lesser celandine, invasive blackberry, bittersweet nightshade, giant hogweed and many others. Contact the Clackamas Soil & Water Conservation District or OSU Extension for details.

Equipment and weather

Well-maintained and calibrated application equipment are key to being able to apply pesticides efficiently at correct rates.

• Do not use pesticides when rain is expected, to avoid run-off or leaching into groundwater
• Do not spray pesticides when windy to avoid drift from the target area

Lawn

A lawn requires more water and maintenance than most other plants. Evaluate your need for grassy areas — are they practical and functional for your needs? Or can you convert some lawn to a low water-use landscape? Consider lawn alternatives such as ecolawns, groundcovers and low water-use plants for areas where there are steep slopes or irregular shaped spaces that can be difficult to water and maintain.

Lawn care practices that help you keep a lush, healthy lawn without pesticides:

1. Mow regularly — once a week or more, as needed. For most lawns, a mowing height of 2–3 inches is recommended. Mulch mowing returns nitrogen back to your lawn.
2. Keep your lawn thick and robust by applying grass seed regularly. Apply grass seed or lawn patch to thin areas in the spring and early fall. Cover up bare soil with seed.
3. Fertilize with slow-release fertilizer once a year in the fall to promote robust growth the following spring.
4. Lawns grow best with soil pH between 6.0 and 6.5. Check your lawn’s soil pH and amend if needed.
5. Aerate your lawn if the soil is compacted or water does not penetrate well. Well-aerated soil helps to grow healthy lawn grasses. Apply grass seed after aerating.
6. Thatch is built-up organic material at the base of grass plants. When it builds up, grasses die back and weeds and insect and disease pests might occur. Remove thatch if it exceeds 1/2 inch deep. Apply grass seed to your lawn after dethatching.
7. Keep your lawn mower blade sharp. Dull blades don’t make a clean cut when you mow. This ragged cut on the grass can lead to lawn pests and diseases.

More information on practical lawn care

• Practical Lawn Care for Western Oregon
• Keep Your Lawn Without Pesticides
• Fertilizing Lawns
• Where to get your soil tested
• What's Your Lawn Style? (videos)
• Effective, low risk solutions for Pacific Northwest pests & weeds

Our Partners

Clackamas Water Environment Services is proud to partner with Clackamas River Water Providers and Clackamas River Basin Council to provide water health education to protect our rivers and streams.

Brought online in 1974, the Kellogg Creek Water Resource Recovery Facility serves WES customers in Happy Valley, Johnson City, Milwaukie and unincorporated areas of Clackamas County. Each day, the facility cleans nearly 7 million gallons of wastewater before it is released into the Willamette River.

This facility provides primary and secondary stages of wastewater treatment, including anaerobic digestion. Wastewater flows through screens that remove large objects like rags or sticks. The sewage then passes into a grit chamber, where heavier materials like rocks, silt and sand are removed.

Primary clarifiers remove a large percentage of incoming waste solids, from homes and businesses, and pass the remaining solids to the secondary treatment system, consisting of aeration basins (where the biological process takes place) and secondary clarifiers. Finally, we disinfect the clarified effluent, which is cleaned wastewater, using ultraviolet light before it is released into the Willamette River.

The Kellogg Creek facility’s name subscribes to the Water Environment Federation’s preferred industry naming convention of “Water Resource Recovery Facility.” The name reflects our mission to provide wastewater resource recovery and watershed protection services to our community so we can live, work and play in a healthy environment. The facility's name acknowledges the value it provides to the community, which includes recovering energy, biosolids, clean water and other resources from treated wastewater.

In 2023, the Kellogg Creek facility received a Peak Performance Gold Standard Award from the National Association of Clean Water Agencies (NACWA) for excellence in plant operations and permit compliance. To be presented with the Gold Peak Performance Award, the facility must have no regulatory violations. 

Upgrading the Facility

The National Association of Counties (NACo) presented WES with a 2021 Achievement Award for its Kellogg Creek Water Resource Recovery Facility Improvements Project in the category of County Resiliency: Infrastructure, Energy & Sustainability.

The upgrades position the Kellogg facility to deliver reliable, cost-effective treatment for the region for decades to come. 

Dedicated to being a good neighbor, WES made odor control improvement a top priority. This upgrade was accomplished by placing covers on the aeration basins, which play a key role in breaking down pollutants. Additional improvements include the replacement of pipes, pumps and electrical systems.

More refurbishments are planned. Our facilities require regular maintenance to make sure they remain in good working order to best serve you and save money. 

To learn more about the upgrades that strengthen the facility’s ability to serve our customers for decades to come, please watch the video below.

Spills and leaks from contaminants, can be dangerous if left unattended. In addition, spilled chemicals can also pollute our streams and underground drinking water supplies, as well as harm pets, plants and wildlife.

Prevention is Key!

• Keep unused containers closed tightly.
• Store materials inside or under cover.
• Never use storm drains or gutters, ditches, or swales for waste disposal.
• Keep waste container lids closed. 

Possible contaminants include:

• Oil
• Gas
• Antifreeze
• Paint
• Pesticides
• Cleaners and disinfectants
• Sewage
• Fertilizers

If someone is actively dumping or spilling a hazardous material — call 911.

Spills Happen!

Your safety is of utmost importance in addressing spills and leaks. Stop work and move upwind immediately if you feel any symptoms (nausea, coughing, stinging eyes, nose or throat, dizziness). Call for help.

Call 911 if the spill is hazardous or an emergency.

If you are aware of the origin of the spill and it is not an emergency:

• Report a spill or leak
• Try to stop the leak if you can safely. Keep people and vehicles away to prevent contact with the spilled substance. Use a drip pan if you spot a leak or drip; repair the leak promptly.
• Turn off any nearby equipment that could ignite a flame or explosion.
• Never hose down a spill — this can send hazardous pollutants to our waters.
• Protect waterways: Place absorbents such as kitty litter and barriers between the spill and any nearby storm drain, ditch or swale. Clean up the spill immediately.

How to Clean up a Small Spill

Our Partner

Clackamas Water Environment Services is proud to partner with The Oregon Association of Clean Water Agencies (ACWA) to protect and enhance Oregon’s water quality. ACWA developed the information (provided above) in collaboration with groundwater, stormwater and education experts dedicated to practical and proactive water resources protection.

What's the problem?

Although convenient for cleaning surfaces and equipment, pressure washing can send dirty runoff containing oil, soap, chemicals, metals, and sediment into the storm drain system. Most storm drains have zero to minimal treatment and drain directly toward the surface water and groundwater we all need to protect.

Here’s how our waters are being negatively impacted:

• Sediment clouds the water, hinders aquatic plant growth, and clogs fish gills.
• Even biodegradable soaps rob water of life-giving oxygen.
• Household hazardous wastes, like pesticides, paints, solvents, and auto fluids that collect on driveways and other outside surfaces can poison aquatic life. Animals and people can become sick or die after consuming polluted water or fish.
• Ingestion of pre-1978 paint flakes containing lead can be a concern as it can result in intellectual disabilities in children.
• Avoid using hot water and chemicals as that type of wastewater has a greater negative environmental effect.

What can you do?

Our Partner

Clackamas Water Environment Services is proud to partner with The Oregon Association of Clean Water Agencies (ACWA) to protect and enhance Oregon’s water quality. ACWA developed the information (provided above) in collaboration with groundwater, stormwater and education experts dedicated to practical and proactive water resources protection.

Ask your landscape maintenance contractor to use these best management practices to help protect our waters, our environment and those you love!

Why bother with best management practices?

Best Management Practices (BMPs) are designed to protect both our streams and underground drinking water quality, and to prevent clogging our stormwater facilities. Implementing BMPs can make a positive difference to help protect our waters, properties, and public health.

Best Management Practices

• Do not blow or sweep trash, yard debris, soils or chemicals into street or storm drains. Collect and properly dispose of these materials.
• Properly compost or dispose of debris daily.
• Inspect and safely clean onsite landscape stormwater facilities (e.g., rain gardens, swales) to ensure they operate as designed.
• Mow high, often, and with sharp blades.
• Store fertilizers and other chemicals under cover.
• Purchase the least amount of landscape chemicals needed for your site.
• Use integrated pest management practices.
• Adjust sprinklers to minimize irrigation overspray.
• Check local rules! Never stockpile landscaping material (e.g., dirt, bark chips, sand gravel) in the roadway or on pervious pavement unless your municipality allows it.
• Roots hold soils in place. Plant slopes with dense ground covering plants to prevent erosion.

Important measures you can take

Do NOT apply pesticides, herbicides or fertilizers under windy conditions, or when rain, snow, sleet or hail is predicted within the next 48 hours.

What is wrong with this picture?

Common practices such as these can pollute our water:

1.
Over spraying fertilizer/pesticides on the sidewalk and applying them under wet conditions.

2.
Raking or blowing leaves and grass off yard and into streets.

3.
Leaving pet waste that can carry bacteria to waterways.

4.
Stockpiling landscape material into the street where it can be a driving safety hazard, clog drains, and result in pollution.

5.
Allowing irrigation overspray to enter waterways.

Our Partner

Clackamas Water Environment Services is proud to partner with The Oregon Association of Clean Water Agencies (ACWA) to protect and enhance Oregon’s water quality. ACWA developed the information (provided above) in collaboration with groundwater, stormwater and education experts dedicated to practical and proactive water resources protection.

In 1986, the Tri-City wastewater treatment facility replaced obsolete treatment plants in Oregon City and West Linn. Today, the Tri-City facility cleans more than 11 million gallons of wastewater every day before it is released into the Willamette River. The wastewater is collected by a WES-owned-and-operated network of more than 360 miles of sewer pipes and pump stations. The Tri-City facility plays a large role in allowing WES to clean more than seven billion gallons of wastewater every year.

The Tri-City facility provides primary and secondary stages of wastewater treatment. Wastewater flows through screens that remove large objects like rags or sticks. The sewage then passes into a grit chamber, where heavier materials like rocks, silt and sand are removed.

The secondary stage of treatment allows solids (a byproduct of waste) to settle before disinfection begins. Beneficial bacteria and air are pumped into an aeration basin to clean the wastewater as it flows to the secondary clarifiers. The membrane bioreactor uses fine screens, microbiology and filtration to remove environmentally-harmful materials.

Anaerobic digestion uses microorganisms to break down organic materials, which generate biogas (mostly methane and carbon dioxide) in the absence of air. The methane gas is then converted to heat and power, which provides electricity that is used at WES’ Tri-City facility. The digestion process also converts waste into a natural fertilizer. Ultraviolet or chemical disinfection (we use both methods) neutralizes microorganisms, preventing them from replicating.

In 2020, the Tri-City facility received a Peak Performance Gold Standard Award from the National Association of Clean Water Agencies (NACWA) for excellence in plant operations and permit compliance.

Expanding Capacity: The Tri-City Solids Handling Project

In September 2020, Clackamas Water Environment Services (WES) marked a major milestone in its Tri-City Solids Project, which provides facilities designed to ensure that the wastewater treatment needs of more than 190,000 county residents will be met for decades to come. 

A new 1.3 million gallon anaerobic digester, constructed over a two-year period at WES’ Tri-City Water Resource Recovery facility in Oregon City, was successfully brought online after years of planning and design.

Anaerobic digestion is similar to composting but in an oxygen-free environment. Naturally-occurring microorganisms break down organic waste and produce methane gas. The new digester expands the facility’s capacity to process solids, which are a byproduct of treating wastewater from homes and businesses.

“This project is part of WES’ mission to protect public health, clean rivers, and the economy,” said WES Director Greg Geist. “WES is committed to creating a legacy of stewardship and a strong infrastructure that will protect and serve our communities today and well into the future.”

Along with the facility’s two existing digesters, the new digester will turn waste into methane gas that is converted to heat and power, which provides nearly half of the electricity used at the Tri-City facility and provides heat for the process and buildings The digester process also converts the solids into a natural soil amendment.

The new digester was needed to accommodate a population that has more than doubled over the past 30 years. In addition to protecting public health and the environment, the new digester will support future economic growth in the region.

“As our region grows and redevelops while our infrastructure continues to age, we’ll see the need for more projects like this one in the future,” said WES Director Greg Geist. “WES is committed to using value engineering and other practices to keep costs down while ensuring the lowest-risk, state-of-the-art technology is being used.”

Turning Waste into Megawatts

A biopower upgrade at the Tri-City Water Resource Recovery Facility is helping Clackamas County meet climate-action goals and extend the benefits of renewable power to more residents.

The new, low-emissions biogas project transforms organic waste into renewable energy. This co-generation system will produce heat for five buildings at the site and an estimated 4,324 megawatts of electricity a year—enough to offset nearly half of the facility’s energy use.

The new 600-kW, lean-burn engine is connected to the digester tanks. As the digesters break down organic waste, methane gas is produced. At many facilities, methane is typically wasted by burning or “flaring.” The co-generation engine, instead, converts the methane into heat and renewable energy.

It is waste that needs to be processed anyway. But with this configuration, WES can generate its own power and heat. It saves money and energy and benefits WES and the communities we serve.

Project benefits:

• More local renewable energy
• Lower energy and heating costs
• Carbon emissions reduction
• Improved system efficiency
• Flare minimization
• Renewable power benefits shared with whole community

Estimated annual generation and savings:

• 4,324 MWh generated annually
• 3,057 metric tons of carbon dioxide saved = removing 660 vehicles from the road

Assistance from Energy Trust of Oregon and Portland General Electric’s Renewable Development Fund helped make the biopower upgrade possible.

Energy Trust of Oregon offered expert advice and a $158,000 project development assistance incentive for feasibility studies. Another $1.8 million Energy Trust of Oregon incentive helped cover the biopower project costs, including the engine upgrade, gas scrubbing, flare minimization and additional heat utilization.

The PGE Renewable Development Fund, supported by PGE Green Future renewable energy customers, awarded a $250,000 grant. Since 1999, customers of Portland General Electric have supported clean energy by participating in the Green Future℠ renewable power program. To date, PGE Green Future customers have helped fund more than 14.5 Megawatts of new, local renewable energy generation.

Towering Artwork with an Environmental Message

With a grant from the PGE Renewable Energy Fund, WES collaborated with Clackamas Community College’s Art Department and Environmental Learning Center to create a concept for an educational mural on the biological odor control tower, which uses odor-neutralizing bacteria as a natural alternative to chemicals.

Educator David Andersen and his art students created the mural to demonstrate the importance of watershed health, sustainability, renewable energy, and awareness of climate change.

Before painting, Andersen and his students engaged with community members to develop images that illustrate the ecological diversity of our area separated into three layers –water, earth, and sky –with references to native salmon, Pacific lamprey, freshwater clams, birds, microorganisms and other wildlife.

Our Timeline

Testing Water Quality for Safety

Testing water quality for safety, the Tri-City Water Quality Lab performs nearly 30,000 analyses per year, including hundreds of tests per month on samples collected from Tri-City, to check the health of water at every step of the wastewater treatment process.

The testing ensures that WES meets discharge requirements for the Willamette River and provides information to optimize operations at Tri-City. In addition, samples from the other WES facilities and surface water facilities are also analyzed.

Practicing Sustainability to Minimize Impact

WES is committed to responsible stewardship, recovery of resources and demonstrating leadership in sustainable business practices.

WES employees are dedicated to following and promoting solid sustainability practices to reduce the environmental impacts of all our activities. WES is proud to have achieved certification in the county’s Leaders in Sustainability program by conserving energy and water at our Tri-City facility and minimizing waste throughout our department.

The Membrane Bioreactor (MBR) uses hollow-fiber membranes to separate particles from water. The MBR’s compact footprint requires fewer components than pressurized systems and provides simple, trouble-free operation and maintenance. The MBR saves both energy and precious water resources.

Conserving Energy, Protecting the Environment

WES has saved millions of kilowatt hours at our Tri-City facility by participating in Energy Trust of Oregon’s Strategic Energy Management Program, which helps organizations train their employees to identify energy-saving opportunities.

After signing up for the program, WES employees identified 104-energy saving possibilities at the Tri-City campus. Since then, WES has saved hundreds of thousands of dollars in energy costs, which benefits the environment and our customers. WES is now in the process of expanding the program’s practices to more of our facilities.

Clackamas Water Environment Services (WES) has obtained a grant from the PGE Renewable Development Fund to collaborate with Clackamas Community College’s Environmental Learning Center and Clackamas Community College Art Department to create a unique educational campaign that intersects the fields of art, education, clean water, and renewable energy. The PGE Renewable Development Fund is funded exclusively by 225,000 Oregonians enrolled in PGE’s Green Future renewable energy program. The project will help educate our local businesses and community members on the importance of the biogas project at the Tri-City Water Resource Recovery Facility,  and its role in protecting watershed health and addressing climate challenges.

A series of community engagement activities will inform the team about what matters most to the community regarding watershed health and climate change, and will serve to influence and support the design of a series of PGE Renewable Energy and Watershed Interpretative Public Art Murals.

Join us for a free and fun online workshop!
Sat, Sept. 12, 2020, 9 a.m. to noon

Participants in this workshop will:

• Strengthen their knowledge of watershed ecosystems and their impacts on our lives.
• Provide inspiration for the creation of the 2021 Tri City Water Resource Recovery facility Public Art Murals.
• Practice drawing techniques and procedures under the guidance of an experienced artist and instructor.
• Explore the use of various drawing mediums and their use. 

In class discussions on watershed health, climate change, habitat preservation and the creation of images will be used as a source of ideas for the creation and installation of the 2021 Public Art Murals at the Tri-City Water Resource Recovery Facility.

David Andersen will guide beginning through advanced drawing students through a number of basic drawing techniques, culminating with a finished graphite drawing of a natural organism from our ecosystem. 

About the Artist

David Raphael Andersen began his early career working as an Entomologist for Environmental Labs where he expedited USDA grants on pesticides.  After several years working in this field he changed directions and decided to become a visual artist.

Since graduating with his MFA degree (Painting) from Brigham Young University, Provo, Utah in 1988, Andersen has worked as an artist, studio instructor and full time Director of Galleries at 5 universities and colleges.  He is currently Professor of Art at Clackamas Community College in Oregon City, OR, where he directs the Drawing and Painting programs.

An internationally exhibited artist, Andersen has also received numerous grants and awards from the National Endowment for the Arts, California Arts Council, Texas Commission on the Arts, Nevada Arts Council, Sierra Arts Foundation and the Clackamas CC Foundation.  His work has also been reviewed and written about in Art in America, The New York Times, San Diego Union Tribune, The Oregonian and the Los Angeles Times among others.

16 years ago Andersen left the retail galleries that had represented him, moved away from social media as a promotional tool, backed away from the business associated with contemporary art world concerns and began to emphasize education as a tool for societal change…while continuing to create work in a prolific manner. 

Clackamas Water Environment Services offers discounts on the sanitary sewer portion of its monthly bills to customers who meet the low income guidelines. Discounts are not applicable to surface water charges.

Income Limits

The 2023 qualifying maximum adjusted gross annual income by household size can be found in the table below. Household income is calculated as it would be on your federal tax return.

To qualify for the discount, please complete the application form.

Once you have completed your application, please return it to:

Attn: Customer Service        
Water Environment Services        
150 Beavercreek Road #430        
Oregon City, OR 97045

If you have questions about the customer discount program, please call 503-742-4567.

Online Utility Bill Payments 
Sign up, manage your account or make a payment — day or night. 
more information | How to update auto payment

By Checking Account
Set up autopay from your checking account 

By Phone 
Call 503-742-4567 24 hours a day to pay with your credit or debit card.

By Mail 
PO Box 6940 
Portland, OR 97228-6940

In Person 
Pay in our lobby or after hours drop box 
150 Beavercreek Road 
Oregon City, OR map

Pay your assessment bill or accounts receivable invoice.

Our customer service team is available to answer questions about our online payments system and other account options at wescustomerservice@clackamas.us or call 503-742-4567.

A Message from our Director, Greg Geist

Vision: Where We Are Going

Be a collaborative partner in building a resilient clean water future where all people benefit and rivers thrive.

Mission: Why We’re Here

Clackamas Water Environment Services produces clean water, protects water quality and recovers renewable resources. We do this by providing wastewater services, stormwater management, and environmental education. It’s our job to protect public health and support the vitality of our communities, natural environment, and economy.

What We Stand For

• Protecting Public Health
• Investment in Our People
• Stewardship of Healthy Watersheds
• Responsive Customer Service
• Fiscal Responsibility
• Water Resource Recovery

Our Strategic Plan
The Strategic Plan provides an overview of the organization’s key initiatives and focus areas

Our Service Area

Are you in the WES service district? Check your address in CMap.