Water Environment Services
Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are human-made chemicals found in a wide range of products used by consumers.
Per- and Polyflouroalkyl (POLY-floor-oh-al-kill) substances, known as PFAS, are persistent chemicals found in many consumer and industrial products including:
Widely used since the 1940s, U.S. manufacturers phased out two of the most common types of PFAS (PFOS and PFOA) in the U.S. in 2002 and 2015 although they are still present in some imported products.
Non-stick Pans 
Some Waxes
Stain-resistant Fabric 
Waterproof Rainwear
Firefighting Foam 
Paper Food PackagingPFAS do not break down in the environment or in wastewater treatment processes, which raises concern about potential health risks. More research is needed to help scientists understand how PFAS may affect human health. Several recent legislative and regulatory efforts across the U.S. have focused on limiting PFAS levels in drinking water. Research to adequately measure, monitor and evaluate the potential risks of these chemicals, even in trace amounts, is underway. PFAS have been classified by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) as a class of “emerging contaminants.”
The EPA leads the national effort to understand PFAS and reduce risks to the public. The EPA is working on a nationwide drinking water monitoring process for PFAS. To learn about the EPA’s actions, visit www.epa.gov/pfas.
While PFAS have been detected in wastewater treatment systems, the facilities are not a source of PFAS. Clackamas Water Environment Services voluntarily screened for PFAS at our two largest facilities. The testing did detect PFAS, and the results were similar to those found at other wastewater treatment facilities.
Dedicated to protecting public health and the environment, Clackamas Water Environment Services is aligned with our partner agencies and national water quality experts to follow developments in PFAS research. To learn the latest about PFAS in Oregon, Clackamas Water Environment Services works with the Oregon Association of Clean Water Agencies (ACWA), which engages with the Oregon Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) on sharing information the latest information about PFAS.To learn how the DEQ is addressing PFAS in Oregon, visit: https://www.oregon.gov/deq/Hazards-and-Cleanup/ToxicReduction/Pages/PFAS-in-Oregon.aspx.
All privately-owned stormwater systems must be inspected annually and a report submitted to Water Environment Services. If any cleaning or maintenance/repair is performed it must be included in the report.
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Clackamas Water Environment Services is updating its Rules & Regulations (Rules) and Technical Standards. The District Rules are established to serve a public use and promote the health, safety, prosperity, security, orderly and uniform administration of the District affairs, and general welfare of the inhabitants using the District’s sanitary and stormwater systems. In order to do so we need to adopt an updated set of rules of operation for WES. The purpose behind this is multifaceted.
Goals of the update are to:
Click here for a summary of the key policy proposals
Key policies to be considered include:
Annexation (Rules, Section 2.4) - This section establishes procedures relating to the annexation of territory into the District. It is the intent of the District to promote orderly annexation of municipal and unincorporated land where it is determined in best interests of the District and adjoining cities to plan and provide for orderly development.
Sanitary EDU Assignments (Rules, Section 5.4.1) - Modify the Equivalent Dwelling Unit (EDU) classification assignments methodologies to align with current understanding of sanitary discharge volumes and impacts by category.
System Development Charges Installment Payments (Rules, Section 5.4.10) - Where the District assigns more than two EDUs to a development the District may approve an application to pay the charge in installments and may lien the property for the amount financed.
Reimbursement Districts (Rules, Section 5.6) - A Developer who is not otherwise eligible for SDC credits and who chooses or is required as a condition of development to finance or construct public improvements of the sanitary and/or stormwater system, such that other properties will benefit from those public improvements may request that the District establish a Reimbursement District.
Use of Public Property (Rules, Section 9) - This section establishes Rules to protect the public use of WES owned and managed property and facilities and to establish violations of those rules.
Enforcement (Rules, Section 10) - This section presents the enforcement policies, methods, and processes used by the District.
Low Income Monthly User Charges (Rules, Section 5.8.3) - The monthly user charge for service provided to the principal residence of a household having a maximum income under the qualifying limits shall be 50 percent (50%) of the monthly sewer user charge.
Draft documents include:
An ordinance adoption hearing for the Rules & Regulations is scheduled for May 4, 2023. Formal public comment will be taken at that time. Second Reading and Adoption of an Ordinance Adopting Rules and Regulations for Water Environment Services.
For questions please email us at WES-Rules-Update@clackamas.us
WES identified approximately 15 members of the development community (development engineers, planners, and others who utilize the rules and standards) to interview about sanitary and stormwater design standards. Information obtained during the interviews was compiled into a Stakeholder Interview Summary Memo.
WES convened a Task Force to review and come to consensus regarding policy issues and technical standards that will be addressed in the rules and standards update. Members of the Task Force included both developers and municipal agency partners. The Task Force workshops were intended to introduce and get feedback on proposed policy and technical decisions.
Task Force Workshops included the following topics:
| Workshop #1 Project Overview and Task Force Role | agenda | notes | presentation |
| Workshop #2 Stormwater Performance Standards (Site Planning, Water Quality and Flow Control) | agenda | notes | presentation |
| Workshop #3 Stormwater Minimum Requirements and Facility types (including green infrastructure and proprietary systems) | agenda | notes | presentation |
| Workshop #3A Flow Duration Matching Tools | agenda | presentation | |
| Workshop #4 Sanitary and stormwater fiscal policies | agenda | notes | presentation |
| Workshop #5 Proposed Policies | agenda | presentation |
WES has completed an extensive Stakeholder Outreach Process. Below are summary documents from the Stakeholder Outreach.
Presentation to County Commissioners
Informational Forum - Proposed Policy Boards
Informational Forum
Stakeholder Outreach Interview Summary
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