Water Environment Services
See our Education page for tips on how to keep our water system clean and safe.
The Capital Improvement Program (CIP) plans, designs and builds major capital facilities in the areas WES serves, so that operating divisions can serve our customers' wastewater and surface water needs. Capital project management includes design and construction and provides project controls in terms of cost, schedule, scope, program development and long range forecasting.
This program provides grants to qualifying homeowners who live in areas of the North Clackamas Revitalization Area (NCRA) served by Clackamas County Service District No. 1 (CCSD#1) to pay for private sanitary sewer improvements.
The program does not pay for sewer assessments, system development charges or other connection charges, or monthly sewer fees. Homeowners should call 503-742-4567 for information on available assistance programs for these costs and fees.
Grant funds are limited and grants will be made on a first-come, first-served basis to eligible homeowners.
Annual gross income limits are as follows:
| Household Size | Annual Income |
|---|---|
| 1 person | $71,900 |
| 2 people | $82,150 |
| 3 people | $92,400 |
| 4 people | $102,650 |
| 5 people | $110,900 |
| 6 people | $119,100 |
| 7 people | $127,300 |
| 8 people | $135,500 |
Improvements — up to a maximum of $7,500 — include hiring a contractor(s) to re-plumb and connect the home to the public sanitary sewer and decommission the onsite wastewater disposal system.
Contact WES to initiate the process. Our staff will confirm eligibility and refer you to the county's Community Development division. They will send you an application.
County staff will then inspect the property and prepare construction specifications and cost estimates. We will make a list of pre-qualified contractors. You will need to obtain at least two bids from licensed and bonded contractors from the list.
Using county-supplied forms, you will then:
You do not have to select the lowest contractor bid, but the accepted bid must be within 10% of the county's estimate. County staff will inspect the work. Funds cannot be used to pay for your labor as the homeowner.
The county Community Development Director will approve grant applications.
Visit our Annexation Information webpage.
What materials do I need to submit to obtain a WES EPSC permit and a 1200-CN?
| Permit Fee: | $460 for the 1st acre, and $80 for each additional acre (fractions of an acre count as a full acre) |
| Plan Review Fee: | (included as part of overall WES stormwater plan review) |
WES will issue notification of permit approval to the applicant upon final plan approval.
Changes in information on the application and/or the approved plans must be submitted to WES by (at WES' discretion) email, redlined plans, revised plans or a combination of these.
Non-Single Family and/or 1 acre and greater of disturbance EPSC Permit Template Drawings
For non-single family sites and/or those sites that are 1 acre or greater of disturbance and are located inside of Gladstone, Rivergrove or applicable WES service areas (excluding the City of Happy Valley).
Template EPSC Plan Sheets - PDF Sample Plans
DEQ is working on creating their own template plans but in the interim you can find specific plan requirements at their website or adapt the template plans and plan checklist created by Clean Water Services for your own use.
Clackamas Water Environment Services' (WES) adopted budget for fiscal year 2026-27 totals $225.1 million. The budget supports WES' mission to protect public health, produce clean water, manage stormwater, and recover renewable resources for nearly 200,000 people across our service area. Major investments include $51.5 million in critical infrastructure projects to maintain safe, reliable service and support future growth.
To fund increasing operating and maintenance costs and continue investing in system reliability, modest rate adjustments have been approved. For most residential customers, the combined monthly wastewater and surface water bill is expected to increase by approximately $1.25 per month (about 2%), keeping WES' rates below the regional average.
The WES Budget Committee reviewed and approved the proposed budget on May 26, 2026, and the Clackamas County Board of Commissioners (serving as the governing body of WES) adopted the budget and updated rates on June 17, 2026 following a public hearing.
Need help paying your bill?
If you are experiencing financial hardship, you may qualify for WES Income-Qualified Discount, which provides discounted rates to eligible households. Learn more or apply.
| Service | Adopted Rate | Existing Rate | Change | Regional Average2 |
| Wastewater (Rate Zone 2 Retail)1 | $55.20 | $54.40 | $ 0.80 | $ 63.56 |
| Surface Water | $10.00 | $9.55 | $ 0.45 | $ 16.72 |
| Total Monthly Bill | $65.20 | $63.95 | $ 1.25 | $ 76.34 |
1 Wastewater rate reflects Rate Zone 2 retail rate, which includes wastewater treatment, local collection, and legacy debt rate components.
2 FY 2025-26 rate comparison shown as peer data for FY 2026-27 is not yet available.
Are you in district? Check your address in CMap.
Construction and development activities can disturb soil, increase erosion, and carry pollutants into nearby properties, storm drains, and local streams. Proper Erosion Prevention and Sediment Control (EPSC) measures help protect water quality and reduce sediment leaving a site.
All development activity within the WES service area must follow EPSC requirements. Projects that disturb 800 square feet or more must obtain a WES EPSC Permit. Projects disturbing 1 acre or more anywhere in Clackamas County must also obtain a Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) 1200-C or 1200-CN Construction Stormwater Permit.
The permit you need depends on your project’s size and location. Below is a summary of each permit type.
| Disturbance Area | Permit Type(s) Needed |
| Gladstone, Rivergrove, and applicable WES service areas (excluding Happy Valley) | |
| 800 sq. ft. to less than 1 acre of disturbance (thru all phases) |
|
| 1 acre to less than 5 of disturbance (thru all phases) |
|
| 5 acres or more of disturbance (thru all phases) |
|
| All other areas in Clackamas County | |
| 1 acre or more of disturbance (thru all phases) |
(Check with DEQ) |
Required for:
Typical for:
To apply:
Required for:
Typical for:
To apply:
Required for:
Typical for:
To apply:
The Erosion Prevention and Sediment Control Planning and Design Manual and Best Management Practices Drawings provides detailed information about EPSC practices, materials, and installation guidelines. It was developed in partnership with multiple Clackamas County jurisdictions and Clean Water Services.
EPSC training is available from private providers. WES does not endorse or recommend any specific training company.
Inspections help ensure EPSC measures are in place and functioning throughout construction.
Required before:
Schedule:
WES will conduct periodic inspections during construction.
Requested once the site has been permanently stabilized.
Clean water is the biggest lifesaver in human history.
Thanks to advances in producing clean water over the last 200 years, life expectancy in the United States has more than doubled to 78.8 years. Most people take drinking water coming out of taps in our homes for granted. It’s also hard to imagine not being able to flush a toilet to carry wastewater away. The toilets and sewer systems we use today save millions of lives by preventing the spread of deadly diseases that come from dirty water.
At Clackamas Water Environment Services, we provide wastewater treatment services for more than 190,000 customers.
Each year, our treatment facilities clean more than seven billion gallons of wastewater. In the process, we convert materials that have long been considered “waste” into energy and natural fertilizer. We operate and maintain five resource recovery facilities, 23 pumping stations and more than 360 miles of pipes.
15941 S Agnes Ave, Oregon City, OR 97045
Brought online: 1986
The Tri-City WRRF is a regional treatment plant that serves customers in Gladstone, Happy Valley, Milwaukie, Oregon City, West Linn and unincorporated Clackamas County.
This facility includes a Membrane Bioreactor Process (MBR) and a new digester which creates 50% of the energy needed to run the facility.
On average, the Tri-City facility processes 9.94 million gallons per day.
11525 SE McLoughlin Blvd, Milwaukie, OR 97222
Brought online: 1974
The Kellogg Creek WRRF serves customers in Happy Valley, Johnson City, Milwaukie and the North Clackamas Urban area.
This facility features an extensive refurbishment and upgrade of treatment processes and includes an active Good Neighbor Committee in partnership with the city of Milwaukie.
On average, Kellogg facility processes 6.82 million gallons per day.
24596 E Bright Ave, Welches, OR 97067
Brought online: 1982
Hoodland WRRF serves customers in the Welches area.
Highlights of this facility include a treatment process called a Rotating Biologic Contactor (RBC) one of only three in Oregon, and a new standby generator that can sustain the entire treatment process.
On average, the Hoodland facility processes 400,000 gallons per day.
Brought online: 1971
Fischer’s Forest Park is a small treatment system serving one community. This site supports individuals with a septic system process and is not open for public tours.
Brought online: 1986
Boring treatment system serves a community of approximately 150 people. The station uses nitrification and ultraviolet light to clean water prior to discharging into the fork of Deep Creek.
Learn how our technology works to:
Ask questions and tell us about how we can keep you, our valued customer, informed and engaged. Children attending with their parents must be at least 10 years old.
Please complete the Facility Tour Request Form and email it to: WES-AdministrativeSpecialistRequests@clackamas.us
For more information, email wescustomerservice@clackamas.us or call 503-742-4567.
Due to construction and safety restrictions, tour availability may be limited.
Our septage procedures are designed to comply with all applicable District, State and Federal regulations. Septage is regulated by our Rules and Regulations. The Tri-City Water Resource Recovery Facility (TCWRRF) is the only designated receiving facility in WES. Haulers that discharge septage at the TCWRRF are required to have a valid Septic Tank Waste Discharge Permit, which is issued for a three-year period.
To apply for a WES Septic Tank Waste Discharge Permit, septage haulers must complete and submit a completed Application for Permit form, current copy of DEQ license for sewage disposal, a $10,000 Surety Bond or Bond Continuation Certificate, a current copy of the DEQ Pumping Truck Inspection Report and three-year permit* fee. The application review process takes approximately 3–5 days after which the WES staff will then issue or deny a septage discharge permit.
Septic Tank Waste Discharge Permit application can be downloaded online. For additional information, contact WES Industrial Pretreatment Program at 503-557-2834.
* WES Septic Tank Waste Discharge Permit is a three (3) year permit, however, surety bonds, DEQ license, and DEQ Truck Inspection are issued annually. An updated copy of these items must be submitted to WES Septage Program annually.
WES accepts septage originating from within Clackamas, Multnomah and Washington Counties. City, State, and Federal regulations prohibit septage haulers from discharging industrial process wastes at the TCWRRF.
Septage loads are accepted Monday through Friday (except on holidays) between 6 a.m. and 3 p.m.
The wastewater treatment process separates solids and water, after which clean and disinfected water is discharged to a neighboring water body, the solids are carefully processed in anaerobic digesters to meet state and federal regulations. This further processing converts the dewatered solids into a useful, slow-release fertilizer, which contains a range of plant-essential nutrients such as nitrogen, phosphorus, sulfur, and potassium. Biosolids also contain small amounts of other important minerals such as magnesium, manganese, iron, zinc and calcium, not usually found in commercial fertilizers.
WES currently recycles biosolids for beneficial use on dryland wheat farms in Eastern Oregon. Biosolids add valuable organic matter to the soil as a beneficial amendment. Organic matter provides a food source for soil microbes, increases the ability of the soil to hold water, and improves soil structure.
In addition, biosolids provide climate benefits. They capture and store carbon in the soil, and they reduce the need for commercial fertilizers, which are produced by a fossil fuel-intensive process.
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