General Information

The wastewater treatment system that serves Eugene & Springfield is more than just a treatment plant. Both Eugene and Springfield have separate sewer systems that come together into a regional system of lines. The regional system includes the Water Pollution Control Facility (WPCF, i.e., the treatment plant), Biosolids Management Facility (BMF), Biocycle Farm, Seasonal Industrial Waste Facility (SIW), interceptor lines, force mains, and pump stations.

There are over 800 miles of sewer lines and 50 pump stations that transport wastewater to the plant. The Biosolids Management Facility treats and land applies over 2,000 dry tons of biosolids each year. The MWMC also operates a state required Industrial Pretreatment Program to work with commercial/industrial users to control industry wastewater entering the system. Biocycle Farm is a poplar plantation that will help recycle biosolids.

To learn more about the different wastewater facilities and programs, please visit the individual links above.

Treatment Plant: The Water Pollution Control Facility (WPCF)

The Water Pollution Control Facility is located at 410 River Avenue in Eugene. At the treatment plant, wastewater is treated in four separate processes before being discharged into the Willamette River. The solids that are removed undergo further treatment for their conversions to biosolids at the Biosolids Management Facility.

Everything that is flushed or goes down the drain in the Eugene/Springfield area travels to the WPCF. The plant is designed for an average dry weather flow of 50 million gallons per day, and a wet weather flow of 200 million gallons per day. Treatment is done around the clock - 24 hours a day. Operators monitor over 2,800 different points in the system by using computer graphics and instrumentation designed by the operators for the monitoring of the treatment process.

The WPCF is the second-largest treatment facility in the state. (Portland's Columbia River Road Plant is the largest).

To learn more about the different stages of the treatment process, click here.

Biosolids Management Facility

The Biosolids Management Facility further treats the solids that come out of the wastewater treatment process to create biosolids - which we call Biocycle. The BMF is located at 29686 Awbrey Lane.

Biosolids from the treatment process are pumped from the anaerobic digestors at the WPCF to the BMF into 4 facultative lagoons where time and natural processes are used to further stabilize the material and reduce pathogens. From the lagoons, biosolids are processed in sealed-asphalt drying beds and/or a belt-press dewatering facility for further treatment.

Once fully treated to regulation standards, the dried biosolids - a product which we call Biocycle - can then be used in either our compost program, applied to DEQ-approved agricultural land (grass crops), or to the Biocycle Farm. The BMF staff apply over 2,000 dry tons of biosolids each year on a seasonal basis.