Arlington's water system strained by deep freeze

The City of Arlington's Public Works Department was working around the clock earlier this week to restore water to residents. With overnight temperatures at -2 degrees Fahrenheit over the weekend, the water system buckled to the elements.

Dozens of residents reported brown water and at times, very little or no water at all.

On Tuesday morning, the city said it was restoring water to town and that it would take time to refill water tanks.

Arlington Mayor Jeff Bufton posted on social media that the city was engaged with an outside pump crew to restore water and fix the problem.

In the post, Mayor Bufton said "We are still working on the system but we are having issues with the transfer pumps. For people who are still without water, there is a faucet with running water and a short hose down at the City workshop for those in need of water. You can go down and fill up your own container."

While this situation is an emergency, some residents say that the water infrastructure has been an ongoing problem that the city has failed to address.

Tammie Birkeland moved to Arlington in 2019 and says that the water has always been a problem.

"The water has just been horrible," Birkeland says. "You get strong sulfur smells, it is so muddy that we've had to replace appliances."

Birkeland says that she has had to replace her hot water heater that was full of sediment and that she also replaces the water filter on her refrigerator monthly. She also says that she has to regularly clean her bathtub as there are rings of dirt and sediment. Ideally, Birkeland said that she'd like to have a large filtration system for the house but those cost several thousand dollars. Ultimately, she says, it is an issue for the city to resolve.

"I've gone to city council meetings and I've witnessed people who brought in water filters that have gnarly debris," Birkeland said. "The city's response is that they meet federal regulations for water standards and that large overhauls are expensive."

On the Arlington Community Facebook page, Arlington residents regularly post photos of discolored water coming out of the faucet or complain about the odor.

In summer months when temperatures exceed 100 degrees, residents have complained about the sulfuric smell. In winter, sediment is thick in some parts of town. The city has occasionally drained fire hydrants in an effort to flush the system of sediment as a short-term fix.

But with the current emergency, more residents are asking for long term answers.

Built on heavy basalt, the city of Arlington was originally called Alkali, in part because the water smelled of sulfur. The city has engaged with Brad Baird of Anderson Perry and Associates engineering and has worked to make sure that the wells in town are fully operational and safe for the public.

But remarkably, the city has not approached the Gilliam County Court or looked to overhaul its water system with state or federal funds.

The Gilliam County Court has brought in hundreds-of-millions of dollars through renewable energy projects, predominately in the north end of Gilliam County and has been open to helping fund large projects.

The Gilliam County Court has also worked with state and federal officials to get funds from the 2021 bipartisan American Infrastructure Act. That bill pushed out more than $1.2 trillion, of which $55 billion were earmarked for safe drinking water. Several small towns in Eastern Oregon have used the funds to improve septic and sewer systems, as well as drinking water.

And while this issue has been a long time in the making for Arlington, there is a newfound urgency to address the water problem. The worst kept secret in Gilliam County is that a large industrial project is in the works – likely a data center that will be placed above town on the Arlington mesa. The Arlington City Council, Gilliam County Court, Port of Arlington, and others have signed non-disclosure agreements and cannot speak about the project.

Should the proposed industrial development be a data center, it will warrant conversation as it will not only use a significant amount of water, but it will also spur requirements for upgrading sewer and water treatment facilities. If a company like Google or Amazon builds a data center in Arlington, will they also help address its infrastructure needs? It is rare for companies to foot the bill for public works projects. And if the company did invest in infrastructure, would it meet the need of current and future residents? And would the city have the ability and capacity to monitor the new machines, pumps and infrastructure?

Looking at what happened in The Dalles with Google's data center, there can be a lack of transparency with these large corporations. In The Dalles, Google fought the publication of city water usage at its data centers. Ultimately, that information was handed over and it showed that in 2021, Google used 355 million gallons of water.

But beyond the data center, Arlington is poised for growth. With steady growth throughout the Columbia River Gorge, Arlington is due for investment.

Situated on I-84, the town has access to the interstate freeway, the Columbia River, and the railroad. Waste Management employs more than 200 people at its site and got approval to nearly double the size of its property in 2023.

The Port of Arlington has hit its stride under the leadership of Jed Crowther and its current board of directors. The Port of Arlington has created ambitious plans for developing the old Proctor property into housing and is eager to lure more industrial and commercial development. The Oregon Frontier Chamber has also invested in Arlington's commercial and entrepreneurial activities, and the Arlington School District took over pre-school and is well positioned to have more students.

But without an improved water system, many people cannot see growth in the future. Maintaining the current population could even be a challenge if the situation isn't remedied.

"I don't trust the water here," said Tammie Birkeland. "A lot of people don't. It's an old system that needs an update."