News Releases and Public Notices

On June 26, 2024, the Albany-Millersburg Water Reclamation Facility experienced a mechanical failure within the disinfection system, causing an E.coli exceedance in treated wastewater discharged to the Willamette River. Operations staff found the mechanical failure, corrected the equipment, and disinfection was restored. Resampling began immediately, and the City of Albany will continue to take samples at four-hour intervals for the next 24 hours. The City fully expects levels to return to normal, but Oregon DEQ is asking us to notify the public out of an abundance of caution. We estimate it will take 48 hours for sampling results to be returned. Until then, please avoid contact with the Willamette River downstream of Bowman Park. The City has posted warning signs in those areas, and the City will remove them when levels return to normal.