Medford Water will replace Capital Hill’s three aging reservoirs for earthquake resilience by 2030.
Medford Water will replace Capital Hill’s three aging reservoirs for earthquake resilience by 2030.
Project Description and Benefits
Medford’s drinking water depends on the three Capital Hill Reservoirs as the hub of our distribution system. The reservoirs store drinking water brought directly from our primary water source, Big Butte Springs, before it is pushed out into other areas, but they have had nearly 100 years of use.
- We are replacing the three aging reservoirs with larger, modern tanks.
- The reservoirs will be rebuilt for earthquake resilience, but we’ll keep them at the same location.
- This project is key to providing a seismically resilient backbone to our water system that will help us recover quickly from natural disasters and continue to serve our growing region long into the future.
- The project will take place in phases so that water from Capital Hill will never stop flowing. Initial investigation work began December 2022.
Why here?
- The Capital Hill Reservoir Facility is at one of the highest points in the city, which helps it to distribute water efficiently to the entire system by gravity.
- This location also has an extensive network of pipes and infrastructure that all connect here, making it key to Medford’s water supply chain.
The facility is located off of Capital Avenue in east Medford, and bordered by adjacent homes on the west side of the property on Valley View Drive, on the north side on Ridge Way, and the east side of the property by Modoc Avenue, Brentwood Drive, and Girard Drive.
Below is an illustrated map of the area; to view and download a full-size version, click here.
We’re in an early phase of design, with construction estimated to begin mid-2025. We want to reduce construction impacts to you and your neighbors as much as possible, and design the project not just to safeguard our water supply, but to make your neighborhood a better place.
You can also sign up for updates on this project on the Subscribe to Updates tab.
city of medford PUBLIC SAFETY TOWER
This project is related to the City of Medford’s Public Safety Tower Project; for more information and updates on that project, go to medfordoregon.gov/safetytower.
We’re in an early phase of research and design, with construction to begin mid-2025. To get started, test-drilling around the Capital Hill reservoir site took place in December 2022 to evaluate the sub-surface conditions.
We plan to share information with neighbors throughout this process.
| 2022 | 2023 | 2024 | 2025 | 2026 | 2027 | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Research Phase | November 2022 | September 2023 | |||||
| Design Phase | October 2023 | July 2025 | |||||
| Construction Phase | Mid-2025 | September 2027 | |||||
| Public Outreach | November 2022 | September 2027 |
Capital Hill Reservoir Replacement Project and Public Safety Tower Relocation Project Open House June 2024 – VIDEO
Capital Hill Reservoir Replacement Project and Public Safety Tower Relocation Project Open House June 2024 – Presentation
Capital Hill Reservoir Replacement Project FAQs – Fall 2024
Capital Hill Reservoir Replacement Project Fact Sheet
Capital Hill Reservoir Replacement Project Open House June 2023 – VIDEO
Introduction to the Capital Hill Reservoir Replacement Project – VIDEO
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| Date | Update |
|---|---|
| October 2024 | Updated FAQs have been posted on the Project Documents page. Medford Water staff continues to work with the City of Medford on the communications tower project, which is still in the planning stages. |
| July 2024 | FAQs will be available for this project soon. Neighbors may see some activity on the site near the end of July, which is related to the cottage and also to testing of our networked data communications system between our sites; this may last a few days. |
| June 2024 | In cooperation with the City of Medford and the Public Safety Towers Company, an open house was held on June 4 for the reservoir replacement project and the public safety tower project. The presentation and a video of the event are available on the Project Documents tab. |
| May 2024 | The design for the new reservoir is now 30% complete, and the project team is continuing to work out the details of how the new site will be built. Construction is expected to begin mid-2025. In cooperation with the City of Medford and the Public Safety Towers Company, an open house is being planned for June 4 from 6 to 7:30 p.m. at the Roxy Ann Grange, 1850 Spring Street. |
| November 2023 | The planning phase is nearing completion, and we anticipate design to begin shortly. An informational event will be held in January or February of 2024; an update on this event will be provided in December. |
| June 2023 | The first Open House was held June 6; we will use the feedback and suggestions we heard from residents to build the relationships and establish the transparency necessary as this project progresses. A video of the event is available on the Project Documents tab. |
| May 2023 | The first project Open House has been scheduled for June 6 from 5 to 7 p.m. at the Roxy Ann Grange, 1850 Spring Street. The project is still in very early planning stages, and this informal gathering will be a great chance for neighbors to come together and learn more about the project status, and share ideas on ways to reduce disturbances during construction and how the finished site can best serve the neighborhood. |
| April 2023 | Medford Water is planning more test drilling (similar to drilling last December) and digging at the Capital Hill Reservoir Site on May 8 and 9th. Information collected from the drilling and digging helps our engineers know how to design the reservoir’s foundations and confirm where the pipes connect. The drilling will be inside the fencing of the property and will occur only during the hours of 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. Some digging may occur near Valley View Drive on Medford Water’s property. No other work is expected on the site for some time (construction work for the reservoirs is not expected to begin until late 2024). |
| March 2023 | Consultant JLA Public Involvement is supporting our coordination efforts with the public; their team, along with our staff, has been busy speaking with residents around the reservoir site to learn how we can mitigate construction impacts and design the project to improve the area. The feedback gained will help to create plans for outreach and communication, such as hosting an Open House nearby, site signage with updated project information, and providing maps of the existing and future reservoirs. Meanwhile, our engineering team is reviewing reservoir layout concepts and soils onsite, and confirming system operations during the phased construction. |
| January 2023 | To get started, test drilling around the Capital Hill reservoir site took place in December 2022 to evaluate the sub-surface conditions. We welcome feedback from neighborhood residents and want to learn ahead of time how we can mitigate construction impacts and design the project to improve the area. Please use the contact information below, and/or stay tuned for information on how to participate in a project Open House. |
This project is related to the City of Medford’s Public Safety Tower Project; more information on that project can be found at medfordoregon.gov/safetytower.
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