Coos
The Coos watershed basin covers an area of 610 square miles, which includes all the land and water that flows into the Coos estuary and, ultimately, into the Pacific Ocean. In addition, there are two other watersheds in the Coos County area, namely the Tenmile Lakes watershed and the Coquille watershed, which also drain into the Pacific Ocean.
What people are talking about
Affordability
Water rates vary in this area for homes, businesses, and private sewer users who are Coos Bay-North Bend Water Board clients. For multi-family private sewer users, the base rate is $20.07 per unit, and an additional $7.19 is charged for every 100 cubic feet of water usage based on actual consumption. Similarly, administrative sewer clients, including schools, city, county, state, and federal organizations that are customers of the Coos Bay-North Bend Water Board, are charged a base rate of $20.07, plus $7.19 per 100 cubic feet of water usage based on actual consumption. Business sewer clients who are the Coos Bay-North Bend Water Board customers are also charged a base rate of $20.07 and an additional $7.19 for every 100 cubic feet of water usage based on actual consumption.
Wastewater
Coos Bay is important for Oregon because of the characteristics of the watersheds and potential environmental injustice and external factors. And the city of Coos Bay is growing every day, so wastewater is essential for the big city. When the town is more significant, the old wastewater system might not work well for the city. Because of that, Coos Bay has decided to transition towards a new water system. The population of Coos Bay City, Oregon, in 2019 was estimated to be 16,361; it's one of the largest economic hubs in the southern region of Oregon.
While the water quality in Coos Bay is generally safe for human use, there is a concern regarding the potential impact on shellfish and fish populations. To address this, the wastewater contract operator is actively investigating the source of high bacteria levels. They are committed to thorough reporting to the Department of Environmental Quality and the Oregon Emergency Response System. Additionally, they are taking proactive steps, such as posting warning signs at strategic locations, including the beach access near the outfall at the most westerly end of Fulton Avenue. These measures are designed to inform and protect the community, particularly those involved in fishing, a significant local industry.
Poor irrigation and lower water quality affect the daily lives of the community and it costs the city money to constantly correct the irrigation or flow within the system. To tackle this issue, the city is planning to transition its entire water infrastructure. They have allocated $173,000 for this project, and with the city's revenue and population on the rise, they plan to expand their services beyond resource-driven industries such as timber, fish, mining, and ranching.