Medford Water will install a new 12″ water pipeline along a section of South Stage Road, Lillian Street, and Kings Highway, increasing the overall pressure for many residents in the area, as well as supporting future development.
Medford Water will install a new 12″ water pipeline along a section of South Stage Road, Lillian Street, and Kings Highway, increasing the overall water pressure for many residents in the area, as well as supporting future development.
Project summary and Benefits
- This project will install 4,500 linear feet of 12″ water main along South Stage Rd., Lilian St., and Kings Hwy., plus approximately 400 linear feet of 8″ water supply lines to the new South Stage Park Subdivision.
- This work, along with restructuring the service zone that applies to your property, will increase the overall water pressure for over 200 current residents in the area, and support future development.
- While overwhelmingly positive in general, changes in water pressure can have various impacts; find more information on the Project Q&A tab.
- Affected property owners/tenants will be notified; see a map of the area below.
Project value
$1,900,000.00; funding for this project is provided by an American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) grant obtained by the City of Medford.
The City of Medford entered into a grant agreement with the State of Oregon’s Business Development Department to receive $2,700,000 in ARPA funds for water infrastructure improvements in support of development in the Southwest Medford area. Medford Water is working in cooperation with the City to complete two projects funded by this grant money. The South Stage Road 12” Water Main Project is the second of these two projects; the first—a water main in Orchard Home Drive and Westwood Drive—has already been completed.
Find more information on the South Stage Road 12″ Water Main project below.
What is water pressure?
Water pressure is the force that pushes water through your plumbing system, measured in pounds per square inch (psi). The amount of pressure at your tap is mostly dependent upon the property’s elevation within the pressure zone.
Will my property receive increased water pressure?
The pressure within our distribution system varies between 35 and 100 pounds per square inch (psi); this change will bring affected properties to a range of 65 to 80 psi and place them in a new pressure zone. The area served by our distribution system varies from 1,250 to 2,250 feet in elevation, in nine different zones. More information on our system’s pressure zones is available here.
See the map of affected properties on the Overview tab or the list of addresses here; property owners/tenants will be directly notified before work begins.
What are the effects of increased pressure?
Affected property owners/tenants will receive improved pressure, but it will not be excessive. Pressure will be limited to no more than 80 psi, which is compliant with City of Medford Plumbing Code.
Increased water pressure can impact irrigation systems, private water systems, plumbing, appliances, and water usage. Every household is different; talk to your plumber and irrigation professional to determine if any adjustments are needed.
This modification will also slightly impact your water rates, due to the change in pressure zones (affected property owners/tenants will receive additional information from us before this happens).
Do I need to do anything as a result of this change?
Every household is different; talk to your plumber and irrigation professional to determine if any adjustments are needed.
Will my rates go up as a result of this change?
This modification will slightly impact the water rates of affected property owners/tenants, because when the project is complete, they will be in a different pressure zone. The cost of supplying water differs from zone to zone, due to the different types of facilities necessary to pump water to them. For example, the cost of moving water through our gravity zone is accomplished with much less pumping and other equipment than a zone at a higher elevation. Rather than charging every customer a flat water rate, customers in different zones pay the additional fees required to provide them with water.
Affected property owners/tenants will be subject to a $4.64 High Elevation Charge per month, and a High Elevation Gallonage Surcharge of $0.09 per 1,000 gallons will apply to their water consumption.* For more information on water rates, click here.
| Current Volume Charges* | Updated Volume Charges Following the Switchover* | |
| First 5,000 gallons: | $1.03 | $1.12 |
| Next 20,000 gallons: | $1.86 | $1.95 |
| Over 25,000 gallons: | $2.70 | $2.79 |
| Plus the Monthly Base Meter Charge and Backflow Fee | Plus $4.64 High Elevation Charge, Monthly Base Meter Charge and Backflow Fee |
*Note: On December 4th, 2024, the Board of Water Commissioners approved modifications to water rates for all customer classes served by our system. Those modifications go into effect on March 1st, 2025, and are separate from/in addition to the increases mentioned above as part of this project.
Who do I contact if I have questions?
Contact our Customer Service Team at 541-774-2430 (press ‘0’ to speak directly to a team member), or email customerservice@medfordwater.org.
Can I opt-out of this project?
No. Due to the way water systems work and the multitudes of customers served off of a water main in an area, it is not possible for one or a few customers to be served from a different main or zone, while those all around them are served from another. If you are concerned about your water pressure being too high, call us at 541-774-2430 or talk to your plumber and irrigation professional to determine if any adjustments need to be made.
This information is subject to change at any time; we will provide updates as they become available.
Questions?
Contact our Customer Service Team at 541-774-2430 (press ‘0’ to speak directly to a team member) or email Customer Service.
The anticipated construction schedule is mid-January 2025 through June 2025. This schedule is subject to change; we will provide more information as it becomes available. Traffic will be impacted in the area periodically as we carefully install this vital infrastructure; please drive cautiously and be aware of changes to traffic patterns.
We will post updates on this project below.
| Date | Update |
|---|---|
| December 16, 2024 | Informative materials for this project will begin going out this week to impacted addresses. The project is expected to break ground mid-January 2025 and go through June. |
