City Council Approves Plan to Address PFAS in Water System
The Hermiston City Council approved two resolutions Monday, August 10, that start the process on a long-term plan to remove PFAS from the City’s drinking water system and seek state funding to help pay for an estimated $26 million in improvements.
The actions follow a PFAS Mitigation Feasibility Study prepared by Anderson Perry & Associates and presented to the City Council during its July 27 work session. The study found PFAS in three of Hermiston’s water sources, with several concentrations exceeding new federal standards that public drinking water systems must meet by 2029.
The study also evaluated Hermiston’s water system needs over the next 20 years to identify a strategy that addresses PFAS while ensuring the City has enough water to serve future residents and businesses.
The approved plan includes installing treatment and filtration at Well #5, decommissioning Wells #2 and #4, and maximizing use of the Regional Water Treatment Plant to provide additional water to the City. The total capital construction cost of the improvements is estimated at $26 million, but any funding decisions and financial commitments will come to the Council at a later date for consideration.
On Monday, the City Council formally adopted the PFAS Mitigation Feasibility Study as the City’s plan for removing PFAS from the municipal water system and authorized the City to apply to the Oregon Health Authority’s Safe Drinking Water Revolving Loan Fund Emerging Contaminants Program. The program provides forgivable loan funding for projects addressing emerging drinking water contaminants, with a focus on PFAS. The application deadline is August 13.
The amount of funding that could ultimately be forgiven is not yet known. The City is also participating in pending class-action litigation against PFAS manufacturers that could provide additional revenue toward the improvements.
Due to a technical error, the recording of the City Council meeting is not available at this time. The full presentation on PFAS from the July 27 meeting can be found at https://www.hermiston.gov/citycouncil/page/city-council-meeting-july-27-2026.
The City of Hermiston is a vibrant, growing community of more than 20,000 residents at the crossroads of the Pacific Northwest. Located near the intersection of Interstate 84 and Interstate 82, just minutes from a Columbia River port and the Washington state line, Hermiston is capitalizing on its location as a transportation center and gateway to Oregon. To learn more, go to www.hermiston.gov.
