Clean Water Services advances $130m conveyance program amid 'back to basics' strategic reset

Clean Water Services advances $130m conveyance program amid 'back to basics' strategic resetInterim General Manager Rick Shanley outlines a shift toward core compliance and capital execution, including a progressive design-build conveyance upgrade and major treatment plant improvements, as the utility moves past a forensic investigation.

CWS is advancing the $130 million Fano Conveyance program via progressive design-build and a $50 million primary clarifier project at Forest Grove.

The utility is concluding a forensic investigation (R&O 25.5) and has closed the Clean Water Institute and Ripple to focus on core duties.

A new West Basin Master Plan has been completed to guide long-term capital investments and financial modeling.

Operational pilots, including a hydrocyclone technology at Rock Creek, aim to increase capacity by 20-25% to avoid expensive infrastructure expansion.

Oregon’s Clean Water Services (CWS) is undertaking a significant strategic pivot under Interim CEO and General Manager Rick Shanley, moving to a "back to basics" operational model while advancing major capital expenditures. A 30-year veteran environmental engineer who joined CWS in 2013, Shanley previously served as the utility's first Chief Engineer & Water Technology Officer before stepping into the interim leadership role following the prior CEO's resignation. During a January 8, 2026, roundtable with the Washington County Board of Commissioners, he detailed a renewed focus on core regulatory compliance and infrastructure investment, leveraging his technical roots to mark a departure from previous ancillary ventures. Central to the capital program is the Fano Conveyance program, a project estimated at $130 million over approximately 10 years. CWS plans to utilize progressive design-build delivery for the program. Shanley also highlighted the upcoming Forest Grove primary clarifiers project, valued at roughly $50 million, which is driven by compliance needs. These forward-looking investments follow the recent completion of the $50 million Rock Creek primary clarifiers project and the West Basin Master Plan, which Shanley noted creates a "roadmap" for future smart investments and financial modeling. The strategic reset involves closing the Clean Water Institute and Ripple, entities previously associated with the utility's broader market activities. "Closing the Clean Water Institute and Ripple is on a high level a move in the right direction," Shanley told the Board, emphasizing the need to focus staff time on core job duties. This shift coincides with the conclusion of a forensic investigation, referred to as "R&O 25.5," with findings and responses set to be presented the following week. The utility is also working through the "redomiciling" of its captive insurance entity, Quick. Despite the focus on basics, CWS continues to pursue operational innovation to manage costs at its space-constrained sites—a priority consistent with Shanley's past leadership roles in the Pacific Northwest Clean Water Association. The utility is piloting "In Dense," a hydrocyclone technology at the Rock Creek facility designed to densify sludge and retain beneficial bacteria. Shanley noted that constructing a new secondary treatment train currently costs about $50 million, but the pilot technology could potentially increase existing capacity by 20-25% within the current footprint. Additionally, CWS is testing "Crew Carbon," an alternative to lime that generates carbon credits, potentially saving the utility half a million dollars annually. The utility is also conducting a comprehensive rate study and a billing study, with results expected to inform decisions in 2027.