1956-Present
Steady Expansion and Construction of the Big Pipes
Portland spent the next fifty years after the construction of the Columbia Boulevard Treatment facility trying to keep up with a rapidly growing population. In 1968, the treatment facility was expanded, including completion of the Portsmouth tunnel, a new sewer line comparable in size to the Peninsula tunnel. The treatment facility underwent expansion projects in 1975, 1982, 1984, 1991-1993, and 2000.
In 1968 a second treatment facility was constructed in southwest Portland at Tryon Creek. Although the construction of Portland’s first treatment facility in the 1950s and subsequent projects greatly improved the health of the Willamette River, sewage was still making its way into the river. Storm drains poured directly into the sewer system. When the system became inundated with storm water, the combined sewage/stormwater would be diverted into a series of overflow tunnels which dumped into the Willamette.
In the early 1990s the city began planning to end sewage overflow into the river. The plan called for the westside and eastside “Big Pipes” (14 foot diameter) that would catch all the sewage and stormwater, pump it to Swan Island, and finally merge it with the existing sewer system. Visit the Bureau of Environmental Services page about the Big Pipes Project for more information.
City of Portland Archives and Record Center
The Archives and Records Management Division operates the City of Portland Archives
and Records Center, making city administrative and historical records accessible to the public
and City employees for research and inspection in accordance with Oregon’s public records laws.
Research
Please contact us via email
or phone to schedule an appointment.
Location
1800 SW 6th Avenue, Suite 550
Portland, OR 97201
Contact Information
(503) 865-4100
PARC@portlandoregon.gov
PORTLAND SEWERS 