Clean Water News & Stories

  1. Home
  2. About

Fireworks: Keep the Spectacle Out of Storm Drains 

Education Public Health Rainwater Management Tualatin River
We encourage people to have safe and joyous celebrations, but we also want to protect our slow and sensitive Tualatin River, which is a vital resource to our region. The Tualatin River provides drinking water, agricultural irrigation, and recreation. It’s also home to native wildlife like beavers, turtles, salmon, newts, egrets, and more. Keep these critters in mind when you clean up after using fireworks.  
Spent fireworks collect in a debris pile along the curb of a sidewalk.

Clean Water Services Board Adopts Fiscal Year 2026-27 Budget

Washington County, Oregon—The Clean Water Services (CWS) Board of Directors voted unanimously on June 9 to adopt the Fiscal Year 2026-27 budget and the rates and charges that fund sewer and stormwater services across the Tualatin River Watershed. The adopted budget and rates take effect July 1, 2026, the start of the fiscal year. 
Rock Creek Water Resource Recovery Facility

Public Works: Rooted in Service, Powered by Community

How often do you consider where water (and everything you flush along with it) goes after you “go,” or where it flows when it falls as rain, melts as snow, or runs down your driveway from a hose? You may not think about it much, because the public works staff who maintain miles of pipe, operate treatment facilities, monitor water quality, and respond to threats to public health and the environment are working to keep those essential services flowing 24 hours a day for you. 
An image of two Clean Water Services at a construction site in the community.

Water Releases Make Tualatin River a Year-Round Resource 

The arrival of warm and dry weather and a hot forecast ahead prompted Clean Water Services (CWS) to begin releasing cool water on May 12, 2026. The Tualatin River is a vital source of water for Washington County communities, crops, and companies. To keep the Tualatin River flowing and healthy in dry months, CWS releases cool water from Hagg Lake and Barney Reservoir.
An aerial view of where water is released from Scoggins Dam. Part of Hagg Lake is visible on the left, with trees and hills in the background.

How Clean Water Services Sets Rates for Your Community

Each year, Clean Water Services (CWS) develops an annual budget and sets rates to support essential wastewater and stormwater services across Washington County. These decisions help ensure that our communities have the infrastructure and services we need to protect public health, reduce flooding, and keep our waterways clean. Any changes to rates for the upcoming fiscal year would take effect on July 1. 
Clean Water Service Manhole Installation.