Clean Water Services and the City of Sherwood are working together to support Sherwood’s infrastructure needs. This project will bring necessary sewer services to Sherwood’s expanding community while also enhancing natural resources.
A study has identified a sewer alignment that will provide service to Sherwood High School and upcoming development in the Brookman area. The alignment will place a new line in, or near, Goose Creek and Cedar Creek, and along sections of roadways and surrounding areas. The line will be a gravity line, which means it can only flow downhill. This type of line was selected following many studies which helped CWS and the City of Sherwood make the best decision for the community’s needs. Factors considered included cost, availability of existing infrastructure, time, geography, and more.
This line will also be available as properties in the area are brought into the City of Sherwood for development in the future, and to private residences that currently are not connected to a sewer line. CWS is working with the City of Sherwood to ensure that any new developments will have the infrastructure necessary to protect public health while enhancing the natural environment. CWS is committed to planning for the future and for the expected needs of the community keep associated costs of development reasonable and predictable.
Construction is expected to start in the summer of 2025, but several factors—including weather and soil condition—could impact this timeline. Property owners adjacent to the construction site will receive notice before construction is underway. CWS acknowledges the number of changes to the construction timeline and financing approach to this complex and unique project. We appreciate the community’s patience through this process.
Here are some FAQs (PDF) about this project.
Easements
Some property owners will be directly impacted by the placement of the sewer pipe and subject to a temporary or permanent easement. Property owners will also have opportunities for natural resource enhancements as part of this project.
CWS, in partnership with Universal Field Services, will work with each impacted property owner individually. If an easement is needed on your property, Universal Field Services or an acquisition agent from Clean Water Services will contact you.
Project Timeline
- Preliminary design completed in 2019
- Final design and permitting took place in 2023
- Final plans went to bid in early 2025
- Construction is expected to begin in 2025 and last through 2026
- Tree removal scheduled for January 2025
Construction Schedule
SW Brookman Road Closure Update
February 2-February 16- Road closure at SW Brookman Road and SW Oberst Road.
A $9 Million Investment
The construction cost for this project is nearly $9 million and is entirely funded by the City of Sherwood and CWS. The City of Sherwood is supplementing the funds through System Development Charges (SDC). CWC initially planned to establish a Reimbursement District to cover the cost of this project. Feedback from the community was among many factors considered for project funding. CWS heard concerns from property owners and community members about the reimbursement district and considered those concerns while exploring alternative funding methods. This is an example of why community involvement is a priority for CWS and project planning.
Property owners who choose to connect to the line will be responsible for System Development Charges, as well as the cost of decommissioning their septic system, constructing their sewer lateral, and connecting to the sewer main.
Connecting
Property owners who wish to connect to the new sewer line must be within the Urban Growth Boundary (UGB). If a lot is annexed from the Urban Reserves into the UGB, it becomes eligible for public sanitary sewer service. Portland Metro is the regional government that oversees and manages annexations into a UGB for the entire Portland metropolitan area. Annexations into the UGB can take several years due to comprehensive planning and legal requirements.
Property owners must also annex into the Clean Water Services boundary to receive sanitary sewer service. Once the new sanitary sewer line is in place, properties within the UGB will have the opportunity to annex into the CWS boundary and connect to the sewer.
If a property is within the UGB and within 300 feet of the sewer line, the property will be required to connect in the event of a septic system failure.
How to help with stream restoration
If you are a property owner interested in participating in stream restoration work, there is an opportunity to increase your property value with high-functioning stream corridors. This could help reduce the number of severe flooding events and can reduce the amount of enhancement needed for future development. Creating improved stream corridors requires removing invasive plant species, repairing stream banks, and improving wetland functions and aesthetics. See our Stream Care Guide (PDF) for more information.
Contact Us
General project questions: Daniel Rittatore at RittatoreD@cleanwaterservices.org or 503.681.3608.