Most of SUB’s water comes from groundwater, which means it passes through numerous layers of sand, silt, and rock, all of which act as a natural filter, protecting and purifying it as it travels to the aquifer below. SUB also supplements groundwater with water drawn from the Middle Fork Willamette River to allow us to meet growing demand.

Water from SUB’s Willamette wellfield and from the river is mixed together at SUB’s Slow Sand Filtration water treatment facility. There, water passes through layers of sand and gravel created to mimic the water table. Afterward, it is treated with ultraviolet light to kill organisms sometimes found in river water and then lightly chlorinated for additional protection.

Some people are sensitive to the taste of chlorine. If the taste bothers you, remember that chlorine is a gas and will dissipate into the air over time. Instead of drinking your water right from the tap, pour it into a pitcher and let it stand on your counter. Within an hour, the chlorine will dissipate and any residual taste will be gone.

To ensure our water stays clean and pure, SUB performs more than 2,000 water quality tests each year. Trained staff collect water samples from wells, storage facilities, and various points in the distribution system. The samples are then taken to a state-licensed laboratory for analysis, and the results are reported to the State of Oregon. Test results also are compared against standards set by the Environmental Protection Agency and the State or Oregon. Test results show that SUB's water consistently meets or beats state and federal water quality standards. To view the test results, please refer to our 2006 Annual Water Quality Report.

SUB currently has two different sources of drinking water supply and is working to develop a third source. Approximately 90% of Springfield’s drinking water comes from wells that tap the aquifer, a vast underground layer of water-bearing sands and gravel beneath our community. Ten percent of our water comes from the Mid Fork Willamette River and is processed through Slow Sand Filtration Plant. The third source will be the McKenzie River. As our community grows, we are expanding production from the wells and the Slow Sand Filtration Plant. As those sources reach their capacity, we are planning the treatment processes needed to tap our water rights from the McKenzie River.

Wellhead Protection
SUB has a wellhead protection program to help safeguard the quality of Springfield's aquifer, the layer of water-bearing gravel that provides Springfield with most of its drinking water. Working with consultants, customers, and government agencies, SUB is mapping the location and flow of groundwater. Above ground, SUB is identifying where chemicals are being used and whether they pose a threat to the groundwater. Monitoring, testing, and public education are all part of SUB's wellhead protection program.

Surface Water Protection
SUB’s surface water protection program extends from our Mid Fork Willamette River intake in Springfield to the crest of the Cascades at Waldo Lake and includes the entire watershed above Springfield. SUB works closely with the emergency response agencies and the Haz Mat Response team to monitor spills and clean-ups that could affect the river and impact our water quality. We also work with the up-river communities of Lowell, Westfir and Oakridge; with several private timber companies, including Willamette National Forest, BLM, and the Corps of Engineers; and with other community volunteers on the Mid Fork Willamette Watershed Council to maintain water quality in the river and to provide public education in the watershed.

SUB is also involved with the McKenzie Watershed Council and the Eugene Water and Electric Board in water quality protection in the McKenzie. Several of SUB’s wellfields are next to the river and this is the location of one of our future surface water sources. SUB is evaluating the treatment process needed for using the McKenzie River as a source. SUB works with the McKenzie Watershed Council on water quality monitoring projects, school education programs, and public education on a watershed wide basis to preserve the future of our water supply.

For more information about SUB’s Drinking Water Protection Plan, Contact SUB’s Water Quality Manager at 744-3730, or Amy Chinitz, Drinking Water Protection Coordinator at 744-3745.

There are more than 500 private wells serving water to residents in Springfield. If you have a private well and would like to have your water tested, you can call a local certified lab, which will charge a basic fee for the service. You can also use a student/teacher run community well testing program administered through Thurston High School and available free of charge via grant support from SUB and others. Call 744-4140 for more information about testing times and procedures.

Anytime you tap into the community's drinking water system (to put in new irrigation pipes, for example), state law requires that you install a backflow device. Backflow devices prevent water from "flowing back" into the drinking water lines, potentially contaminating the water system.

Backflow devices can be purchased wherever plumbing supplies are sold. Prior to installing a backflow device, you must obtain a City of Springfield plumbing permit. After the device is installed, it will need to be inspected by the city and tested by an Oregon State Health Division-certified device tester. For the inspection, call the city’s 24-hour building inspection request line at 726-3769. Download a list of certified testers here. After your test is complete, you will need to provide SUB a copy of the results.

For more information about backflow prevention, devices, and testing - including printed materials - call SUB's backflow experts at 726-2397.

Download a copy of SUB’s water quality annual report, also known as the Consumer Confidence Report (or CCR), here or call SUB’s water department at 744-3730 for a copy of the report.