SE Bend septic-to-sewer project open house set

The city of Bend will hold a SE Bend Septic to Sewer Project Open House for the public from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. on Tuesday, May 15, at the Bend Senior Center,1600 SE Reed Market Road.

With the new Southeast Interceptor sewer pipeline completed, sewer service is now available for previously unserved areas in southeast Bend.

The goal of the SE Bend Septic to Sewer Project is to design a neighborhood sewer system and develop a financing strategy that will provide sewer service to approximately 550 southeast homes in the project area that currently rely on septic systems. Many of the septic systems in this area are old and in need of repair.

The open house is designed for homeowners in the project area and other interested stakeholders to learn more about the project, interim rules for unsewered properties and potential solutions.

The project area is bounded by Reed Market Road to the north, 15th Street to the east, Ferguson Road to the south, and generally west of the COID irrigation canal.

A 12-member Citizen Advisory Committee, which is meeting monthly over the course of the project, is helping to find solutions and will make recommendations to the City Council.

“The city’s long-term goal is to create a program that gets everyone connected to the sewer system,” said Susanna Julber, a policy analyst with the city “The city’s efforts to bring sewer service to southeast Bend provides multiple benefits for affected property owners and citywide–protecting public health and providing a coordinated effort for property owners to connect.”

At the open house, homeowners in the project area will also have an early opportunity to suggest a hook-up location for their property.

Learn more at www.bendoregon.gov/septictosewer