As Redmond, Bend grow, so too does the need for water

(Update: adding video)

Last fall, the city began construction on a 983-foot well

REDMOND, Ore. (KTVZ) -- In 2018, the city of Redmond was providing 2.3 billion gallons of water a year to its residents. And as the city continues to grow, so does the need for water.

According to the city, Redmond is expected to grow to 50,000 residents by 2040.

"(This water facility) is all part of keeping up with demand," Josh Wedding, the city's water utilities manager, said Thursday. "We're trying to plan ahead for the growth we expect."

To Wedding, the growth has been "tremendous" in recent years -- and without enough water to serve the city, "growth stops," Wedding told NewsChannel 21. "You run into a point where you can’t provide water for the growth.”

In the fall of 2020, Redmond began construction on a 983-foot-deep well, a 4 million gallon reservoir and a booster pump station with a 7,000 gallon-per-minute capacity. Construction on the $16 million facility is expected to be completed later this year.

Water conservation has become a hot topic for both Bend and Redmond, like other fast-growing cities. According to Mike Buettner, the city of Bend's utility director, water connections have grown, but water usage has leveled off as water conservation increases.

“We are definitely focusing more on conservation in the last few years," Wedding said of Redmond. "You’ll see a continued focus on that going forward.”

Earlier this week, state Sen. Tim Knopp, R-Bend, proposed $1 million from the federal American Rescue Plan funds should go to the city of Redmond for another well, to keep up with water demands.

Wedding added that while growth is important for the city, he wants that growth to happen at the "perfect" rate, where the city can supply water to meet the growing demand.