$3 million every 2 months: Salem gets update on drinking water treatment costs – Oregon Public Broadcasting – OPB

Report on Detroit Reservoir Drawdown and its Impact on Salem’s Water Supply in Relation to Sustainable Development Goals

This report details the challenges facing the City of Salem’s drinking water supply due to a planned drawdown of the Detroit Reservoir. The situation presents a direct conflict between the objectives of Sustainable Development Goal 14 (Life Below Water) and Sustainable Development Goal 6 (Clean Water and Sanitation), affecting approximately 200,000 residents and requiring significant infrastructure adaptation and inter-agency collaboration.

Core Challenge: Balancing Ecosystem Health (SDG 14) and Urban Water Security (SDG 6)

Mandate for Environmental Protection

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers is preparing for a deep drawdown of the Detroit Reservoir, an action mandated to support local biodiversity and ecosystem health, in alignment with SDG 14.

• The primary driver for the drawdown is a 2024 directive from NOAA Fisheries to aid the downstream migration of endangered salmon populations.
• This action aims to restore natural river flows past the Detroit Dam, contributing to the conservation of freshwater ecosystems and halting biodiversity loss, a key target of SDG 14 and SDG 15 (Life on Land).

Consequent Risk to Clean Water and Sanitation

While environmentally motivated, the drawdown poses a significant threat to Salem’s municipal water supply, challenging the city’s ability to meet SDG 6, which calls for ensuring the availability and sustainable management of water and sanitation for all.

• The drawdown will release decades of accumulated sediment, drastically increasing the turbidity (muddiness) of the water source.
• Salem’s water treatment plant is not currently equipped to handle such high levels of sediment, jeopardizing the provision of safe and clean drinking water for its residents.

Technical and Financial Implications for Water Infrastructure (SDG 6 & SDG 11)

Water Turbidity and Treatment Capacity

The projected increase in water turbidity presents a severe technical challenge to the existing water treatment infrastructure, which is fundamental to a sustainable city as outlined in SDG 11 (Sustainable Cities and Communities).

1. Current State: The Geren Island treatment facility operates efficiently with water turbidity of 10 nephelometric turbidity units (NTU) or less.
2. Projected State: Data from similar drawdowns indicate sustained turbidity levels above 50 NTU, with potential peaks as high as 800 NTU.
3. Infrastructure Gap: The city’s slow sand filtration system is incapable of sustainably managing this projected increase in sediment load.

Operational and Financial Costs

The impact on the treatment facility would lead to substantial operational and financial burdens, affecting the city’s ability to provide affordable and accessible water as per SDG 6.

• Increased Maintenance: At 50 NTU, the service life of a water filter would decrease from approximately three months to just 21 days.
• Reduced Asset Lifespan: The overall lifecycle of the filters would be reduced from four years to potentially two months.
• Financial Impact: The cost to replace each filter is estimated at $3 million, creating a significant financial strain on municipal resources and potentially impacting water affordability for consumers.

Mitigation Strategies and Multi-Stakeholder Collaboration (SDG 17)

City of Salem’s Proactive Measures

In response to the impending challenge, the City of Salem has initiated measures to build resilience in its water systems, a core component of SDG 11.

• An emergency declaration was approved to expedite necessary upgrades to the water treatment plant.
• Contracts have been advanced to construct up to four new groundwater wells, diversifying the city’s water sources to enhance water security in line with SDG 6.

Inter-Agency Coordination

The situation necessitates strong partnerships between municipal and federal bodies, highlighting the importance of SDG 17 (Partnerships for the Goals).

• The City of Salem and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers are in communication to coordinate the drawdown process.
• The Corps has committed to monitoring turbidity levels and may implement mitigation tactics, such as phased drawdowns, to minimize the impact on Salem’s water supply.
• A supplemental environmental impact statement is expected in late October or early November, which will open a period for public comment.

Analysis of Sustainable Development Goals in the Article

1. Which SDGs are addressed or connected to the issues highlighted in the article?

• SDG 6: Clean Water and Sanitation – The core issue is the management and treatment of drinking water for the city of Salem.
• SDG 14: Life Below Water – The primary reason for the reservoir drawdown is to aid the migration of endangered salmon, which are anadromous fish that live in both freshwater and marine environments.
• SDG 15: Life on Land – The article discusses the health of inland freshwater ecosystems (the Detroit Reservoir and river system) and the protection of threatened species within them.
• SDG 9: Industry, Innovation and Infrastructure – The article focuses on the capabilities, limitations, and necessary upgrades of the city’s water treatment facility, which is a critical piece of infrastructure.
• SDG 11: Sustainable Cities and Communities – The situation directly impacts the city of Salem, its residents, and its governance, involving city council decisions to ensure a safe and resilient urban environment.

2. What specific targets under those SDGs can be identified based on the article’s content?

• SDG 6: Clean Water and Sanitation
  • Target 6.1: Achieve universal and equitable access to safe and affordable drinking water for all. The article is centered on ensuring the continuity of safe drinking water for “around 200,000 residents.”
  • Target 6.3: Improve water quality by reducing pollution. The challenge discussed is the high level of sediment (turbidity) in the water source, which degrades its quality and requires advanced treatment.
  • Target 6.b: Support and strengthen the participation of local communities in improving water and sanitation management. The article mentions the Salem City Council meetings and a future public comment period, which are mechanisms for local participation.
• SDG 14: Life Below Water
  • Target 14.2: Sustainably manage and protect marine and coastal ecosystems. The drawdown is an action to restore the natural migration path for salmon, which are crucial to both freshwater and marine ecosystems.
• SDG 15: Life on Land
  • Target 15.5: Take urgent and significant action to… protect and prevent the extinction of threatened species. The article explicitly states the drawdown is to “help endangered salmon” and “challenged fish populations.”
• SDG 9: Industry, Innovation and Infrastructure
  • Target 9.1: Develop quality, reliable, sustainable and resilient infrastructure. The article details the limitations of the current water treatment plant and the “upgrades” and construction of “four new groundwater wells” needed to make it more resilient to the changing water conditions.
• SDG 11: Sustainable Cities and Communities
  • Target 11.5: Significantly reduce… the number of people affected and… direct economic losses… caused by disasters, including water-related disasters. The city’s “emergency declaration” is a proactive measure to prevent a water supply crisis. The article also quantifies potential economic losses, such as the “$3 million” cost to replace each filter.

3. Are there any indicators mentioned or implied in the article that can be used to measure progress towards the identified targets?

• For Target 6.1 (Safe Drinking Water):
  • The article mentions the population served (“around 200,000 residents”). An indicator is the proportion of this population that continues to receive safely managed drinking water despite the challenges.
• For Target 6.3 (Water Quality):
  • The article explicitly names the indicator for water clarity: turbidity, measured in nephelometric turbidity units (NTU). It provides specific values: “10 NTU or less” (current state), “50 NTU” (cloudy), and potential peaks of “800 NTU.” Monitoring NTU levels is a direct way to measure water quality.
• For Target 15.5 (Protect Threatened Species):
  • The article refers to “endangered salmon” and “challenged fish populations.” An implied indicator would be the population counts, survival rates, or successful downstream migration numbers of these species following the reservoir drawdown.
• For Target 9.1 (Resilient Infrastructure):
  • Progress can be measured by the completion of infrastructure projects mentioned. Specific indicators are the number of “new groundwater wells” built (up to four) and the implementation of necessary “upgrades to the treatment plant.”
• For Target 11.5 (Reduce Disaster Losses):
  • The article provides a direct financial metric: the potential economic loss from damaged equipment is stated as “$3 million” to replace each filter. An indicator of success would be the avoidance of these costs through proactive infrastructure and management strategies.

4. Table of SDGs, Targets, and Indicators

Source: opb.org