Explore each stop on our tour to learn more about the City’s high-quality water sources and the infrastructure we rely on to treat, store, and deliver clean and safe water to our community 24/7.

Dip your digital toe in by referencing each tour stop, then take a deeper dive by visiting the additional resource links. After you finish the Virtual Tour, try your hand at our water system trivia or get answers to frequently asked questions.

Water System Overview

For nearly a century, the City of Bend has been providing high-quality drinking water to residents, businesses, and visitors. From source to meter, the City works to protect our supplies, treat and clean our water, and maintain a network of pipes, storage reservoirs, and other facilities to deliver safe, reliable drinking water to customers’ taps. Learn more about our water with the Virtual Tour.

Tour Stops

Infographic showing the Water System Tour stops.

Tour Stop 1: Surface Water Supply

Since 1926, the Bend Municipal Watershed has been the City’s primary water source. Surface water from Prowell Springs (image below) flows by gravity down Bridge Creek through the mountains and valleys, making its way to our Bridge Creek Intake Facility. We work closely with the U.S. Forest Service to ensure this high-quality surface water source stays protected.

At the intake facility (image below), the Water Services Department continuously monitors water quality, temperature, and levels to protect and better understand our watershed. From the intake, surface water travels by gravity through a 10-mile pipe under Skyliner Road to the Outback Water Filtration Facility (Stop 2).

Take a Deeper Dive

Tour Stop 2: Outback Water Filtration Facility

The City manages a robust treatment system to provide clean, safe drinking water and protect against future water quality risks. The Outback Water Filtration Facility is where pathogens and turbidity (sediment suspended in water) are filtered from our drinking water. The membrane filtration system filters up to 11.8 million gallons per day and uses multiple steps to remove particles too small for the naked eye to see. We also add a small amount of chlorine to deactivate viruses and bacteria while keeping our network of storage tanks and pipelines clean.

operations staff maintenance at water filtration facility
Staff maintaining membrane filter racks (above). Surface water treatment process map (below).

Looking forward, the City is planning to install pre-treatment at the Water Filtration Facility to improve system resilience to potential water quality events in the watershed like the 1979 Bridge Creek Fire.

Bend's water filtration treatment process

Take a Deeper Dive

Tour Stop 3: Groundwater Supply

The City has a second high-quality water source that provides supply resilience for our growing high-desert community. During the summer months, we pump from deep groundwater wells connected to the Deschutes Regional Aquifer to supplement our water supply and meet peak demands.

The City maintains eight groundwater facilities with 20 active wells and large pumps to bring water to the surface. The groundwater is naturally filtered by layers of soil, volcanic rock, sand, and gravel and then small amounts of chlorine disinfection are added when the water is pumped to make it safe to drink.

large well water pump and large water pipe
Powerful pumps pull groundwater from deep wells into pipes and reservoirs throughout the City.

Take a Deeper Dive

Tour Stop 4: Pipelines and Water Storage

The City maintains a network of pipelines and storage reservoirs to reliably deliver clean and safe water to homes, schools, businesses, and fire hydrants throughout Bend. Our system includes 15 storage reservoirs, 6 active booster pump stations, and about 440 miles of water pipes.

The storage reservoirs are on hills, so gravity helps produce consistent water pressure throughout the system. Combined, our reservoirs store up to 30 million gallons of water to serve the daily needs of the community and provide backup in case of fires or other emergencies.

Outback facility aerial image - photo credit: Scott Nelson
Outback campus: (left to right) filtration facility, chlorine contact basin and three reservoirs.
Photo credit: Scott Nelson

Take a Deeper Dive

Tour Stop 5: Customers’ Taps

From source to meter, Bend’s water is protected, filtered, and monitored to ensure the water is clean, safe, and reliable. The City’s water system provides drinking water 24/7 to about 25,500 service connections and 67,000 customers, serving residents, businesses, and visitors alike.

Take a Deeper Dive

Tour Stop 6: Planning for the Future

CIty of Bend is taking steps to plan for a reliable water future, including projects to enhance system resilience and ongoing efforts to improve water efficiency and help sustain supplies for our growing high-desert community.

The planning and investment we make today will help ensure safe, reliable water for current and future generations.

Take a Deeper Dive

Planning and Improving

Partnerships and Preparation

Tour Trivia Quiz

Thirsty for some fun? Answer the trivia questions below to test your knowledge of Bend’s drinking water system.

Take the Quiz

Thanks for touring! We hope you enjoyed learning about the City of Bend’s Water System!

Additional Resources

Frequently Asked Questions

Have questions about Bend’s drinking water? Check out these FAQs:

Where does Bend’s water come from?
Where can I learn more about water quality?
What steps are taken for long-term planning?
Does Bend have enough water for our growing community?
How resilient are Bend’s water supplies to environmental changes like drought?
What steps can customers take to manage water use?