JWC Celebrates $1.09 Million Federal Grant for Seismic Improvements to Water Treatment Plant Disinfection System
The Joint Water Commission (JWC) welcomed Congresswoman Suzanne Bonamici to the JWC Water Treatment Plant on March 9, 2026, to celebrate a $1.092 million Congressional Project Funding (CPF) grant secured for seismic improvements to the facility’s chlorine disinfection system. The JWC is a drinking water treatment and delivery partnership between the cities of Hillsboro, Forest…
Read MoreThe 1996 Floods: How the JWC Kept Water Flowing During Oregon’s Worst Floods
This month marks 30 years since Oregon’s largest flood event.That winter, an unusual confluence of weather events made the floods particularly severe. Abnormally high rainfall and relatively low snowfall saturated ground soil and raised river levels. In late January, a heavy snowstorm was followed by a deep freeze that lasted for six to ten days.…
Read MoreAward Winning Water: The Joint Water Commission Receives Award for Source Water Protection Efforts
The Joint Water Commission (JWC) recently received an award for efforts towards protecting drinking water sources. This award from the Oregon Health Authority acknowledges protection activities that substantially lower risks to the public water system’s source of drinking water. JWC’s Drinking Water Sources All of the water treated by the JWC is “surface water,” which…
Read MoreJoint Water Commission Receives $8.9 Million Grant for Disinfection Retrofit Mitigation Project
The Joint Water Commission (JWC) recently received a Hazard Mitigation Program Grant from FEMA for a replacement disinfection facility. The current project budget is $8.9 million, with the grant covering 90% of expected costs. Grant funds will be used to relocate and replace the existing disinfection facility. The current chlorine storage and feed area is…
Read MoreLiving Downstream: Eldon S. Mills Dam & Barney Reservoir
The Eldon Mills Dam and Barney Reservoir are located at the headwaters of the North Fork Trask River in Oregon’s northern Coast Range. The dam is composed of rock. It was originally completed in 1970 and expanded for capacity in 1999. Rainwater and snow melt is collected throughout the year in the reservoir, then released during summer…
Read MoreCase Study Highlights the Joint Water Commission
In the May 2022 American Water Works Association Journal, the June 2021 chlorine disruption that affected the region – including the Joint Water Commission (JWC) Water Treatment Plant – was featured as a case study. The study detailed: The chlorine disruption was caused by an equipment failure at a chlorine manufacturing facility on the West Coast…
Read MoreJoint Water Commission Highlighted as Tree for All Partner
The Joint Water Commission (JWC) was recently profiled in a Tree for All Partner Spotlight. The article celebrates the JWC’s commitment to source water protection, continued risk assessment, and water management and conservation measures. Tree for All engages communities in watershed restoration projects throughout the Tualatin River Watershed. Learn how you can get involved here.
Read MoreJoint Water Commission Continued Producing Safe Drinking Water during Chlorine Supply Disruption
Despite the recent chlorine supply shortage, the Joint Water Commission (JWC) continues to safely produce clean, high-quality drinking water for more than 450,000 customers in Washington County, Oregon. The JWC water treatment plant has maintained normal chlorine supply levels without any major interruptions in deliveries. At the drinking water treatment plant in Forest Grove, Oregon,…
Read MoreDrinking Water Produced by the Joint Water Commission is Safe to Drink & Use During Chlorine Shortage
The Joint Water Commission (JWC) was recently notified of a chlorine shortage caused by an equipment failure at a manufacturing facility on the west coast. As the primary drinking water supplier responsible for treating, transmitting, and storing potable water for more than 450,000 customers in Washington County, Oregon, the JWC is prepared to continue producing…
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