Willamette polluted during PSU construction

Last week, the Department of Environmental Quality issued a $6,733 fine against Fortis Construction for discharging 5,000 gallons of turbid slurry water into the Willamette River on Aug. 25 while working on Portland State’s campus loop project.

According to Rodney Weick, the DEQ’s water quality manager, subcontractors of Fortis Construction were drilling geothermal wells at the corner of Southwest 10th Avenue and Southwest Montgomery Street, creating drilling mud that was drained into a banker tank.  

“The banker tank was then drained into a storm drain that discharged into the Willamette River by the marina,” he said.  

The sediment created a plume and the DEQ received several complaints from people living in the area.  

Once the sediment—a clay-like substance—mixed with the river water, it created the slurry. According to Weick, when discharge of this type is released into a river the high level of sediment is toxic to fish and other aquatic life because it removes oxygen from the water and affects the respiratory process of fish.  

Draining drilling water into the storm drain is not standard procedure, and doing so created a water violation, as the consequent turbidity exceeded the maximum allowed by water quality standards.

The normal procedure for disposing of polluted or dirty water is to contain and treat the water, reduce the sediment until it meets water quality standards and then discharge it.   

“I have no idea why they didn’t do that,” Weick said.   In addition to the fine, Fortis has been responsible for the clean-up of the slurry water, which had to be removed from the street and the storm sewer system at PSU all the way down to the river.  

Ed Barajas, project manager of Fortis, said that at the time of the accident, Fortis was working with the Bureau of Environmental Services and the City of Portland to obtain a discharge permit.  

“In the process [the bureau] communicated that we could discharge water to the storm system [and] that we did not need a permit,” Barajas said. “That was a miscommunication we had with [the bureau] and the city of Portland.” Barajas said their subcontractor took it upon itself to discharge the water without Fortis’s approval.   

“We told them specifically that before they discharge any dirty water that they’re supposed to inform us, which they did not,” Barajas said.  

According to Barajas, though Fortis will not appeal the decision reached by the DEQ, it will be passing the fines onto its subcontractor. “We are going to have tighter control with our subcontractors and make sure they understand the water discharge requirements in the future,” Barajas said.  

The campus loop project construction is currently drilling wells under PSU that will access water from the ground to be used for heating and cooling the buildings around campus.  

According to PSU Director of Communication Scott Gallagher, the project is intended to help the university reduce its carbon footprint.  

“It’s a very green, very efficient way of heating and cooling buildings, and by looping it all together and connecting it all we’ll save over $300,000 a year,” he said.

Because the campus loop project is directed towards sustainability, the university is especially disappointed about the Willamette pollution, according to Mark Gregory, associate vice president of finance and administration.

“PSU views the incident as a mistake [and] is very disappointed, but does not believe this is indicative of systemic negligence,” he said.  

Both Gallagher and Gregory said the university makes a point of hiring responsible contractors and will take the incident into consideration when Fortis bids for a university contract in the future.  

“This is a company we’ve worked with before; we’ve not had any issues with them in the past,” Gallagher said. “They made a mistake we’re not happy about it and we take it very seriously, as does DEQ and the city of Portland.”

According to the DEQ, Fortis is now properly containing fluid in the banker tank and treating it before discharging it into a sanitary system that then goes to a wastewater management facility. ??