Project name: La Pine Water and Wastewater Systems Improvements (WWSI) Project

Location: La Pine

Completion: December 2024

Cost: $43,677,522

Owner/Developer: City of La Pine

Engineers: Anderson Perry & Associates, ELECTRO Tech Engineering

General Contractor: Taylor Northwest

Submitting Company: Taylor Northwest

Other Key Participants: BNSF, Bureau of Land Management, Business Oregon, McKenzie Cascade, Midstate Electric Cooperative, Oregon Department of Environmental Quality, State Historic Preservation Office, The Confederated Tribes of Warm Springs, U.S. Forest Service, USDA Rural Development

Subcontractors: Abbas Pump, Anderson Erosion Control, Camp Creek Electric, Cascade Civil, McKenzie Cascade, Mike’s Fence, On The Fly Plumbing, Stadeli Boring & Tunneling, T Bailey, Tri County Paving

After nearly a decade of planning and construction, the city of La Pine has completed its largest infrastructure improvement project to date, addressing long-standing public health and environmental challenges.

The ambitious project replaced hundreds of aging septic systems with a centralized sewer system and modernized drinking water infrastructure across the community, where groundwater studies had revealed dangerous nitrate levels in residential wells. Without intervention, the problem would only worsen, threatening not only public health but also the long-term viability of the city’s drinking water supply.

The multifaceted initiative, completed through partnerships with Anderson Perry & Associates and Taylor Northwest, resulted in nearly 300 properties connecting to municipal sewer and water systems.

The project included three major components: improvements to the existing wastewater treatment facility with a new 20-acre effluent storage lagoon; construction of a 500,000-gallon welded steel water storage reservoir with upgraded well pump stations; and installation of extensive water and sewer lines in the Cagle and Glenwood Acres neighborhoods.

Project teams overcame significant challenges during implementation. When construction bids exceeded the original budget based on five-year-old estimates, Taylor Northwest agreed to extend their bid validity period while the U.S. Department of Agriculture reviewed additional funding requests.

Crews also maintained flexibility when cultural artifacts were discovered during excavation, implementing contingency plans to continue work in other areas while artifacts were recovered, keeping the project on schedule.

The flat topography of the La Pine area presented additional challenges, requiring special attention to proper grading to prevent future operational issues.

In total, workers installed approximately 110,000 linear feet of water lines, 289 water meters, 126 fire hydrants, and 100,000 linear feet of sewer lines. They also decommissioned 264 septic tanks and constructed four new wastewater lift stations.

Beyond addressing immediate health concerns, the infrastructure improvements unlock new economic opportunities for La Pine by removing barriers to development that previously existed due to wastewater system limitations.

The project received funding coordination through multiple agencies including USDA Rural Development, Oregon Department of Environmental Quality and Business Oregon.

The project manager and Taylor Northwest team were actively engaged in safety on the site, resulting in zero injuries. TNW worked closely with the Bend-La Pine School District and the fire department regarding the construction schedule, road closures and area access. Extra attention also was placed on working safely around the BNSF railroad.

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