Canby residents will have an opportunity to learn more about the quality of their drinking water — and express their concerns — at a public presentation and listening session by Clackamas Soil and Water Conservation District at 6:30 p.m. March 17 at Cutsforth’s Town Hall.
The district was awarded a National Water Quality Initiative grant from the Natural Resources Conservation Service to assess factors affecting drinking water source quality in the Canby area, launching what they’re now calling the “Molalla River Drinking Water Project.”
The project is an effort to better understand issues affecting drinking water quality for approximately 26,000 people whose drinking water is drawn directly from the Molalla River. Project sponsors are now seeking input from members of the public about their perceptions of drinking water source quality and issues of concern.
While the project focuses on water entering municipal intakes in the cities of Canby, Molalla and Colton, it assesses factors across the entire Molalla River watershed that have potential to impact drinking water source quality.
Clackamas SWCD has hired a consultant to conduct the bulk of the research and technical work regarding the Molalla River assessment: John Runyon of Cascade Environmental Group and his scientific team are working closely with local, state, and regional agencies to gain understanding of the issues that affect local drinking water quality.
They are also pairing current and historic technical information with input from the public, land managers, agencies, and community organizations to tell the story of drinking water source quality in the Molalla watershed.
The final report will describe where investment of resources will bring the biggest return for drinking water source quality protection and improvement.
Members of the public are invited to hear a short presentation about the project, after which individuals will be able to provide input. In order to ensure they have enough space for those interested in attending, project managers ask that you please RSVP by phone at 503-210-6000. If they run out of space, they will hold a second meeting in Canby.
A meeting has also been scheduled for Molalla-area residents at 6:30 p.m. March 31 at the Molalla Adult Community Center, 315 Kennel Ave.
For more information on the Molalla River Drinking Water Project, visit molallariverdrinkingwater.com.