Clackamas Water Environment Services (WES) owns and operates the sewer infrastructure transporting wastewater from homes and businesses in Clackamas County to our water resource recovery facilities. The existing Clackamas Area primary sewer line (interceptor) has served unincorporated Clackamas County, Happy Valley and Carver well. However, improvements and upsizing are needed for WES to continue to provide a resilient, reliable sanitary sewer system to serve our community in the future.
The Clackamas Area Interceptor Improvement Project will replace existing pipe with larger, more resilient pipe to increase capacity. In some cases, the pipe may be relocated to improve the overall connections of the system. The project is expected to take four years to complete design, permitting and easement acquisition. Construction will occur in a phased approach, likely beginning in 2026.
Interceptor Defined
An interceptor is a primary sewer line that receives wastewater flow from several smaller trunk and local sewer lines. The interceptor moves the wastewater to the wastewater treatment facility. Interceptors are some of the largest pipes in a sewer system.
Locations
The Clackamas Area Interceptor Improvement Project includes five miles of pipe divided into four segments for construction purposes.
Upper Clackamas Interceptor connects to the Rock Creek Interceptor, where Rock Creek crosses the intersection of Highway (Hwy) 212 and Hwy 224 and continues along Hwy 212 to the intersection of Hwy 212 and SE 124th Court where it connects with the Middle Clackamas Interceptor.
120046Middle Clackamas Interceptor starts at the intersection of Hwy 212 and SE 124th Court. It travels northwesterly to the intersection of Minuteman Way and Mather Road, connecting to the Lower Clackamas Interceptor.
120046Lower Clackamas Interceptor starts at the intersection of Minuteman Way and Mather Road. It continues in a Northwesterly direction behind properties. Near the end of the Lower Clackamas Interceptor, the Lower Phillips Interceptor and the Mount Talbert Interceptor end and discharge into the Lower Clackamas Interceptor. The Lower Clackamas Interceptor then continues a few hundred more feet, crossing the Union Pacific Railroad next to 82nd Avenue and moving to the Mount Scott Interceptor.
120046Mount Scott Interceptor begins at the end of the Clackamas Interceptor. It runs along Mount Scott Creek in a Northwesterly direction to the intersection of SE Kuehn Road and SE Aldercrest Road. Only the upper portion of the Mount Scott interceptor, between the end of the Clackamas Interceptor to the Intertie 2 Diversion box located at the end of SE Johnson Road, is included in this Project.
120046This project was identified as a priority in the Capital Improvement Master Plan to ensure a safe, resilient, reliable sanitary sewer system with the capacity to serve our community now and in the future. This project will provide additional capacity and system improvements to serve Clackamas County and portions of the City of Happy Valley.
120266Design, permitting, and related work began in 2023 and is expected to take approximately 4 years. Construction will be done in phases, anticipated to begin after 2026.
120266The specific construction impacts are not yet known. There will likely be traffic impacts, including lane closures and detours. We will share details of construction impacts when more is known. Please sign up for the project contact list to receive project updates.
120266As a project identified in WES’ Capital Improvement Master Plan, the Clackamas Area Interceptor project is a planned expense and is included in budget discussions and rate studies. We are committed to keeping rates affordable and maintaining monthly service rates in line with the local area average while meeting the needs of growing communities and replacing aging infrastructure.
120266If an easement is needed on property you own, you will be contacted by our easement acquisition team to coordinate with you.
120266The Capital Improvement Plan estimates the total cost of the project to be $39.1 million, spread out over more than twelve years.
120266The method of construction will be determined as part of the design process.
120266
Crews will be in the field to conduct land and utility surveying and to identify environmental conditions such as wetlands, streams and wildlife habitat, and cultural resources.
120266As a WES customer, this project will help ensure that you continue to receive reliable sanitary sewer service. It will also help ensure that our waterways are protected from sanitary sewer overflows.
120266Project Planning
One of the first tasks is to create a baseline of conditions along the pipeline route. Field crews will be surveying land, locating utilities, identifying potential environmental, cultural, and historic resources to protect, and assessing the topography, soil, and geology. The interceptor work will be mainly within the public right-of-way. Property owners will be contacted before access is needed on private property.
The majority of the Project is within a busy commercial and industrial area. Maintaining access to private property is essential. We will coordinate with local businesses, Oregon Department of Transportation (ODOT), the railroad, and other agencies and service providers in the area.
This Project includes sensitive environmental areas, including Rock Creek, wetlands, and stream crossings. The Clackamas Area Interceptor Project will seek to minimize potential impacts to fish and wildlife habitats during design and construction.
Community members, the WES Advisory Committee, industry experts, and elected officials provided vital input to prioritize this Project as part of the Capital Improvement Master Plan.
Frequently Asked Questions
Upper Clackamas Interceptor connects to the Rock Creek Interceptor, where Rock Creek crosses the intersection of Highway (Hwy) 212 and Hwy 224 and continues along Hwy 212 to the intersection of Hwy 212 and SE 124th Court where it connects with the Middle Clackamas Interceptor.
120046Middle Clackamas Interceptor starts at the intersection of Hwy 212 and SE 124th Court. It travels northwesterly to the intersection of Minuteman Way and Mather Road, connecting to the Lower Clackamas Interceptor.
120046Lower Clackamas Interceptor starts at the intersection of Minuteman Way and Mather Road. It continues in a Northwesterly direction behind properties. Near the end of the Lower Clackamas Interceptor, the Lower Phillips Interceptor and the Mount Talbert Interceptor end and discharge into the Lower Clackamas Interceptor. The Lower Clackamas Interceptor then continues a few hundred more feet, crossing the Union Pacific Railroad next to 82nd Avenue and moving to the Mount Scott Interceptor.
120046Mount Scott Interceptor begins at the end of the Clackamas Interceptor. It runs along Mount Scott Creek in a Northwesterly direction to the intersection of SE Kuehn Road and SE Aldercrest Road. Only the upper portion of the Mount Scott interceptor, between the end of the Clackamas Interceptor to the Intertie 2 Diversion box located at the end of SE Johnson Road, is included in this Project.
120046This project was identified as a priority in the Capital Improvement Master Plan to ensure a safe, resilient, reliable sanitary sewer system with the capacity to serve our community now and in the future. This project will provide additional capacity and system improvements to serve Clackamas County and portions of the City of Happy Valley.
120266Design, permitting, and related work began in 2023 and is expected to take approximately 4 years. Construction will be done in phases, anticipated to begin after 2026.
120266The specific construction impacts are not yet known. There will likely be traffic impacts, including lane closures and detours. We will share details of construction impacts when more is known. Please sign up for the project contact list to receive project updates.
120266As a project identified in WES’ Capital Improvement Master Plan, the Clackamas Area Interceptor project is a planned expense and is included in budget discussions and rate studies. We are committed to keeping rates affordable and maintaining monthly service rates in line with the local area average while meeting the needs of growing communities and replacing aging infrastructure.
120266If an easement is needed on property you own, you will be contacted by our easement acquisition team to coordinate with you.
120266The Capital Improvement Plan estimates the total cost of the project to be $39.1 million, spread out over more than twelve years.
120266The method of construction will be determined as part of the design process.
120266
Crews will be in the field to conduct land and utility surveying and to identify environmental conditions such as wetlands, streams and wildlife habitat, and cultural resources.
120266As a WES customer, this project will help ensure that you continue to receive reliable sanitary sewer service. It will also help ensure that our waterways are protected from sanitary sewer overflows.
120266