Water found safe after vandalism

Two incidents in two days lead to tank being bypassed for a while

By Mara Stine

The Gresham Outlook, Sep 21, 2007, Updated Oct 30, 2009 (1 Reader comment)

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The water in Gresham’s largest reservoir doesn’t appear to be contaminated after vandals broke into the tank this week, said city water officials.

“We’ve received several test results, and they have all come up negative, which is really good news,” said Brian Stahl, Gresham’s water division manager, regarding water tests conducted following the Wednesday morning incident.

Another set of test results is due next week, but regardless, the city plans to drain, clean and sanitize the 10-million gallon tank just to be on the safe side.

Police and water division employees responding to an intrusion alarm at about 10:30 a.m. Wednesday, Sept. 19, at the Grant Butte Reservoir near Southeast 186th Place and Tibbetts Court discovered that an access hatch had been beaten open.

“Any time a hatch is opened it immediately triggers the intrusion alarm,” said Keely Thompson, Gresham’s drinking water services coordinator. “We do not want people in that reservoir, or any reservoirs. This is serious, serious business. People rely on us for safe drinking water 24-7. The fire department also relies upon the availability of that water. I can’t stress how serious it is.”

Police apprehended three suspects – an 18-year-old Gresham man, a 17-year-old Portland boy and a 14-year-old Gresham boy – in the woods looking through a nearby transient camp, said Lt. David Lerwick, Gresham police spokesman.

He said police have yet to confirm whether the suspects used an old paint can suspended by a rope to measure the water level.

Officers questioned and released the suspects. Possible charges are pending the investigation’s outcome, Lerwick said.

According to the federal Safe Drinking Water Act, tampering with a public water system carries a maximum civil penalty of $50,000. A maximum civil penalty of $20,000 can be imposed for an attempt to threaten or tamper with a public water system.

Police are also investigating whether the three suspects are the same ones who vandalized the reservoir on the evening of Tuesday, Sept. 18. In that case, the vandals tried to jimmy a locked gate, but when that failed, they cut a chain-link fence, left obscene graffiti on the tank and cut down four trees.

Following the Wednesday incident, the city stopped using water from the reservoir for fear it had been contaminated. Instead, water from a conduit that feeds into the reservoir for storage instead was routed straight to customers.

It could be another two to three weeks before water is once again stored in the tank.

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