Portland residents, did you know the city offers a Utility Discount Program? It’s part of the Clean River Rewards Program. Customers who are able to manage only a portion of their stormwater runoff are encouraged to apply for the discount. Partial credit is available on a sliding scale for properties that manage any portion of stormwater on their site, including partial credits for tree coverage and a credit for residential properties that have less than 1,000 square feet of total impervious area (roofs, driveways and paved areas). Residential includes single-family and duplex properties. Commercial includes commercial, multi-family residential (3 units or greater), industrial, and institutional properties. If you are unsure which of these categories you are in, check your utility bill and look at your billing type. In order to qualify for the program you must register.
For residential properties, the discount is based on managing stormwater runoff from roof areas only. For commercial properties, the discount is based on managing water runoff from both roof and paved areas. Commercial accounts cannot register online because they must first be audited. Submit a commercial registration form and contact Clean River Rewards to schedule a field inspection. How you manage stormwater cannot threaten or damage property or the environment. The discount remains in effect through June 2017. To maintain the discount, the utility account must remain active, stormwater facilities must be properly maintained and operated, and the city must be granted access to the property for limited inspections of stormwater facilities.
The Columbia Boulevard Wastewater Treatment Plant never closes. More than 2,500 miles of pipe and nearly 99 sewage pump stations send wastewater there 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. It processes up to 30 billion gallons a year and returns treated water to the Columbia River.
