Project Update

In October 2024, the City solicited Statements of Qualifications from qualified entities for designing, building, operating and maintaining (DBOM) the new wastewater treatment facility, the first step of a two-step procurement. Later this spring, the City intends to issue a Request for Proposals (RFP, step two) which will include pricing for designing and constructing the new facility as well as long term operations and maintenance.

Once a firm is selected, the project team plans to hold a meeting to share the final designs with the community and continue land use permitting. Demolition and preliminary construction are expected to start in 2026.

Request for Qualifications for Designing, Building, Operating & Maintaining New Facility

The City of Lake Oswego is inviting qualified entities to submit a Statement of Qualifications to provide integrated design, construction, and long-term operations and maintenance services for the new wastewater treatment facility and associated infrastructure to replace the current Tryon Creek plant.

To download the full Request for Qualifications and receive all notifications, addenda, view the RFQ Holders List, etc., a person or company must register and add its individual name or company to the RFQ Holders List here.

Proposals shall be submitted by electronic means only and must be received by October 11, 2024, 2:00 PM PST. To submit electronic (PDF) Proposals, a proposer must accurately complete the required fields and upload their proposal document here.

    Project Update & Council Meeting 5/7

    Status of the Project

    Over the last couple months, the project team has been evaluating alternative competitive procurement delivery methods for implementing the next phase of the project. The team is recommending going ahead with the Design-Build-Operate-Maintain (DBOM) delivery method and will be updating City Council at the May 7, 2024 meeting.

    If City Council approves of this method, the next step would be to draft and advertise a Request for Qualifications in the coming months.

    Upcoming Council Meeting 5/7

    On Tuesday, May 7, 2024 at 5:30 pm, Lake Oswego City Council will hold a public hearing and consider two resolutions related to the project:

      • Resolution 24-19, approving an amendment to Resolution 18-55 and authorizing a special procurement to enter into a DBOM contract for the new wastewater treatment facility, and
      • Resolution 24-18, approving a special procurement for owner’s advisor services related to the DBOM phase and authorizing a contract with Carollo Engineering, Inc.

    Here is a link to the council report and the agenda. You can view this meeting livestreamed on the City’s YouTube channel.

    Lake Oswego to Explore Competitive Procurement Method for New Wastewater Treatment Facility

    Contact: Katy Kerklaan, Communications Specialist | 503-697-6514

    LAKE OSWEGO, OR – On Tuesday, January 30, 2024, the Lake Oswego City Council voted to not proceed with a 30-year project agreement with EPCOR to design, build, finance, operate, and maintain (DBFOM) a new wastewater treatment facility. Instead, Lake Oswego will explore a competitive procurement method using public financing, to complete the design, construct the facility, and operate and maintain the facility under a long-term contract.

    After completing the planning and design phase, the City found the proposed cost of the private financing by EPCOR poses significant cost burdens to ratepayers and customers, compared to public financing.

    In addition, “issuing a request for proposals to the engineering, construction, and water operations industries for this next phase of the project will result in market-driven, competitive pricing, likely reducing cost,” stated Anthony Hooper, Project Manager and Deputy City Manager for the City of Lake Oswego.

    “Being good stewards of taxpayer and ratepayer dollars is prioritized in every decision we make,” said Lake Oswego Mayor Joe Buck. “We believe using public financing and leveraging our Water Infrastructure Finance and Innovation Act loan will be the best long-term financial option, saving millions of dollars for both communities on this vital project.”

    Lake Oswego, with Portland’s support, has been using a phased approach that could replace the aging Tryon Creek plant, with an environmentally sustainable wastewater treatment facility, at a good value to the community. The first phase is now complete, which included developing facility designs, preliminary permitting, and proposed pricing for the Wastewater Treatment Facility Project.

    This first phase of the project successfully demonstrated the feasibility of building a new plant away from the riverfront, and enabled the cities to make a fully-informed decision about the costs and benefits associated with the private-public partnership approach to constructing the project. The cities found it would be more cost-effective for the next phase of the project to take place using 100% public financing, as opposed to the public-private partnership DBFOM approach.

    The second phase of the project now focuses on a competitive procurement method to finalize project designs, construct, operate and maintain the facility, while meeting the desired affordability goals.

    “The City of Portland is committed to partnering with Lake Oswego to replace the aging Tryon Creek plant for environmental and reliability reasons,” said Farshad Allahdadi, Business Services Group Manager, City of Portland Bureau of Environmental Services. “Investing in a new, resilient, state-of-the-art treatment facility remains the financially preferred solution for both cities.”

    The project team will provide next step recommendations to the Lake Oswego City Council in the coming months. The cities look forward to continuing with the next phase of the project.

    “We thank EPCOR for the work they have done planning and designing the facility. That work gives us a solid launching point for our next phase,” said Anthony Hooper. “Also, a big thank you to our residents and stakeholders for the ongoing valuable input on this crucial infrastructure project.

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    About the Tryon Creek Wastewater Treatment Plant

    The Tryon Creek Wastewater Treatment Plant was built in 1964 and is owned and operated by the Portland Bureau of Environmental Service. It is strategically located at the confluence of Tryon Creek and the Willamette River in Lake Oswego. The plant treats wastewater collected from parts of southwest Portland, unincorporated areas of Multnomah and Clackamas counties, and the City of Lake Oswego. Treated wastewater is discharged to the Willamette River via an outfall system.

    Currently, wastewater treatment operations and maintenance costs are split between Portland and Lake Oswego. On average, Lake Oswego contributes approximately 70 percent of the flow volume. Lake Oswego also pays approximately 70 percent of the cost of operating the plant, in line with its usage. Both cities are exploring a new plant that would be owned by Lake Oswego.

    To read the full press release:

    To learn more , visit the FAQ page.

    Project Update & Council Meeting 1/30

    Status of the Project

    Lake Oswego, with Portland’s support, has been using a phased project approach to replace the aging Tryon Creek plant with an environmentally sustainable wastewater treatment facility, at a good value to the community.

    The first phase of the project is now complete, which included developing facility designs, preliminary permitting, and proposed pricing for the Wastewater Treatment Facility Project.

    This first phase successfully demonstrated the feasibility of building a new plant away from the riverfront. It also enabled the cities to make a fully-informed decision about the costs and benefits associated with the private-public partnership approach to constructing the project.

    Upcoming Council Meeting 1/30

    On Tuesday, January 30, 2024, at 4:30 p.m. Lake Oswego City Council will consider the next phase – whether to enter a 30-year agreement with EPCOR to design, build, finance, operate, and maintain a new wastewater treatment facility; or to explore other options, such as a competitive procurement method using public financing, to complete the design, construct the facility, and operate and maintain the facility under a long-term contract.

    Here is a link to the council report and the agenda. You can view this meeting livestreamed on the City’s YouTube channel.

    Website Changes

    As we move from phase 1 to phase 2 with the project, our website will be undergoing a transition too. All information, materials, and resources will be archived on our webpage under “Phase 1 Archive.”  Stay tuned for new updates to come.