Wastewater from Eugene and Springfield homes and businesses has been flowing to the regional wastewater treatment plant on River Avenue for three decades. Last year, the regional system handled approximately 12 billion gallons of wastewater using a multi-part process that results in a final discharge that’s as clean as or cleaner than the Willamette River to which it is piped.
To mark the plant’s 30th anniversary and increase public knowledge about this vital but often overlooked public health system, the Metropolitan Wastewater Management Commission (MWMC) is offering free tours to the general public.
Two 90-minute tours of the regional wastewater treatment plant are available. The first is Wednesday, August 13, at 6 p.m., and the second on Saturday, August 16, at 10 a.m. Tours will begin at the Operations Building inside the main entrance of the regional treatment facility at 410 River Avenue in Eugene. For safety reasons, no children under 10 years of age are allowed. Participants are encouraged to wear walking shoes. Some parts of the tour require stair climbing.
Plant operators from the City of Eugene will be tour guides. The tours will include the pretreatment area where sewage is received, primary treatment, secondary treatment, final treatment, and sludge conditioning. The MWMC is a partnership between Eugene, Springfield, and Lane County in providing regional wastewater service. For more information about MWMC, visit www.mwmcpartners.org.