We are pleased to announce that in February, the Oregon Land Use Board of Appeals (LUBA)affirmed Multnomah County’s approval of land use permits for the Portland Water Bureau’s new water filtration facility. No further appeals were filed so the County’s approval is final as of March 4, 2026. This marks an important milestone for the protection of clean and safe drinking water for more than one million residents of Oregon.

Winterbrook led, along with many other Portland Water Bureau projects over the years, the land use and environmental compliance for this critical drinking water infrastructure project, which is required under a compliance order from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the Oregon Health Authority. The project required multiple Conditional Use, Environmental, Geologic, and Design Review permits across Multnomah and Clackamas Counties. These permits were initially approved by the respective County Hearings Officers in late 2023. The Multnomah County decision was appealed to LUBA, and LUBA issued a decision that rejected all but one of appellants’ assignments of error. On remand in 2025, Multnomah County re-approved the project. The latest County approval was again appealed to LUBA and LUBA issued a final order affirming the County’s approval and rejecting all petitioners’ arguments.

Construction of the filtration facility is underway with completion planned for late 2027. Once operational, the facility will enhance public health protections and ensure continued safe and reliable drinking water for the Portland region.

A big thank you to Portland Water Bureau and Brown and Caldwell for helping get this project across the finish line!