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Past Activity

Tour of the Wastewater Treatment Plant

  • Start date: 04/20/2026

  • Start time: 9:15 AM

Description:

Ever wonder what happens after you flush the toilet or run the faucet? The Metropolitan Wastewater Treatment Plant cleans an average of 35 million gallons of wastewater every day before it is discharged into the Willamette River. Join us for a tour of the facility to find out how the system works. The tour will last about 1.5 hours, starting at 10AM; we will walk about a mile.

We encourage you to bike to the facility - it's only 10 miles RT. Meet at Alton Baker Park near the restrooms at 9:15AM and we will cycle out there as a group. Bring a lock. Please send me an e-mail if you're meeting us at the park to bike.

Alternatively, if you prefer to drive, meet us at the plant - 410 River Ave at 9:45AM. Due to construction, we cannot enter at the main entrance. Go past the main gate and Instead, enter thru the EAST gate (near the RV dump station), turn right at the first intersection, go past the restrooms and park on the left in the parking lot. We will all meet in the SE corner of the parking lot next to the solar panels. Amelia is our guide.

The tour is outside, so dress for the weather; closed-toe shoes only. No food or drinks except for water.

Interesting information about the facility is available at https://mwmcpartners.org/one-water and
https://mwmcpartners.org/facilities/treatment-plant

Photo by: Amelia Remington

  • Event Leader: Lana Lindstrom

  • Event Leader Phone: 541-683-1409

  • Event Leader Email: lana_lindstrom@hotmail.com

  • Assistant Leader:

  • Event category: Conservation, Science, & Education

  • Area Type: Urban

  • Departure Location: See Trip Description

  • Rating: Easy

  • Roundtrip total drive miles:

  • Season:

  • Permits Required:

  • Event Status: Passed

  • Supplies and Equipment Required: Closed toe shoes only; no sandals. It's OK to bring a water bottle; no food.

  • participant prerequisites: Be curious!

  • Conditions:

  • Total Distance:

  • Member Fees: —

  • Elevation Gain:

  • Non-Member Fees: —

  • Committee: Conservation, Science, & Education

  • Junior member fees: —

Trip Report

Sixteen Obsidians toured the Metropolitan Wastewater Management Commission (MWMC) Treatment Plant for almost two hours with guide Amelia. Ten biked there and six drove. The system has 850 miles of sewer lines and 49 pump stations in the Eugene-Springfield area. The facility has 90 employees and operates 24/7; it cleans about 35 million gallons per day (53 Olympic-sized pools). First, the \"grit\" is removed (wipes, stones, plastics, etc). Then the sludge goes through several aeration basins which provide \"dinner\" for different types of bacteria to convert dissolved organic matter into settleable solids. The effluent is then treated with chlorine and then sodium bicarbonate to neutralize the chlorine. The entire process takes about a day. By the time the fluid is dumped into the Willamette, it is clear and cleaner than the water in the river! However, it is not potable. The facility also purifies biogas, a byproduct of the anaerobic digestion process and pipes it directly to NW Natural. MWMC also owns a Biocycle Farm which includes 400 acres of poplar trees planted in different phases and also provides \"sludge\" to grass seed farmers to fertilize their fields. It was an interesting tour!

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