Mt. Tabor Neighborhood Association

Reservoir review panel formed

Mar 03, 2004

An abbreviated message from Commissioner Saltzman?’s press release dated 12/22/03

Portland city commissioner Dan Saltzman recently announced the formation of a 13-member independent review panel charged with analyzing alternatives for securing Mt. Tabor Park?’s open reservoir system. A principal criterion for serving on the panel was that members are capable of independent, impartial analysis and have taken no position on either the city?’s existing burial approach or any of the other options for addressing security needs and pending drinking water requirements. The result is an impartial panel with a broad range of technical and financial expertise and community experience.

The panel will examine five options to satisfy the city?’s security and regulatory needs:

?• Install water treatment facilities where drinking water exits the reservoir outlets.

?• Take the reservoirs offline and retire them from use.

?• Enact specific risk mitigation plans to address physical access, surface water runoff, and contamination risks to the reservoirs (per the pending EPA rule language) as well as security issues raised in vulnerability assessments.

?• Cover the reservoirs and make park improvements above them (the current city proposal).

?• Cover the reservoirs without making park improvements (possible concrete or grass surface). Updates on the committee?’s work will be posted at www.portlandonline.org under ?“Mt. Tabor Park Open Reservoir Replacement Project.?”