A year ago I began working with the Portland Water Bureau on some innovative security. That’s critical in today’s world. We had two goals: secure the system and connect with people to empower them to help us.

 

We talked with many people, including the Portland Water Bureau’s citizen budget committee. One step was to expand existing systems to “harden” or monitor key facilities with equipment like alarms, cameras, or capital improvement projects. We chose that option at appropriate locations.

 

Then we engaged another resource – the people who live and work around our facilities. That’s the people connection. We hired and trained Security Specialists who had good communications skills to monitor our open reservoirs around the clock. We opened the Grand Staircase and walkway at Reservoir 3 in Washington Park to the tune of a lively jig. Citizens had not walked on that walkway for nearly 30 years! We invited everyone to enjoy the reservoir up close from dawn to dusk. We reached out to the Friends of Mt. Tabor Park foot patrol to work with us. The Security Specialists are visible – they bike, walk, and ride Segways to ensure they connect with people.

 

We also asked our security specialists to close up the gates to vehicle access at Washington Park and Mt. Tabor at 10 pm. We built effective partnerships with Portland Police and Portland Parks & Recreation  to provide better security to these areas.

 

The security teams’ motto is “Working Together to Protect Our Water.”  Security Specialists routinely patrol the Bull Run watershed and nearly 200 sites in the city.  

They hand out literature about our facilities that highlights the water security response phone number (503-823-6084). Dispatchers send Security Specialists to respond when a call comes in.

 

Bureau property management staff started talking to neighbors about HydroParks last summer. HydroParks are green spaces that house water facilities like tanks. We took down fences and invited neighbors in, sharing the Portland Water Bureau’s resources with the surrounding community. Neighbors responded to help us plant new trees and shrubs. We installed picnic tables and benches or accessible walkways. Sites with developing HydroParks include Hazelwood and Gilbert in southeast, and Texas in southwest. Discussions are underway with neighbors of the Sabin HydroPark property in northeast Portland.

 

How do I evaluate public response to community-centered services like these? I get lots of phone calls and email. People let me know what they think – the response has been overwhelmingly positive. One man thanked security specialists for the compassionate, thoughtful response to an 89-year-old neighbor who enjoys visits to the Washington Park reservoir.  Security specialists are now raising money for a new bench and a plaque for her.  He said our security specialist “go well beyond any expectations as goodwill ambassadors to the community.”

 

That’s what I want to hear: that we are protecting our facilities – and connecting with our neighbors. That’s customer service.

 

Randy Leonard

Commissioner

 

Photo: A Portland Water Bureau Security Specialist talks with families at Mt. Tabor Park.