# Kid pees in reservoir; 38 million gallons to be drained **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [April 17, 2014, 3:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kid-pees-in-reservoir-38-million-gallons-to-be-drained/686347 "2014-04-17T15:39:47Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![jimbuff314](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/c57346/32.png) [@jimbuff314](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jimbuff314)\ **Post date:** [April 17, 2014, 7:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kid-pees-in-reservoir-38-million-gallons-to-be-drained/686347/41 "2014-04-17T19:14:30Z")
> [@gigi](#): > > Probably knot, but it’s rooting for you to leaf it alone. Or branch out to other areas of the yard. Okay, that’s it! For this egregiousity, you are hereby sentenced to post 5 consecutive times in the “I pit this Global Warming” thread in the pit (and reply to any … creature that references any of your posts). ---
**Author:** ![Duckster](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/duckster/32/1244_2.png) [@Duckster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Duckster)\ **Post date:** [April 17, 2014, 7:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kid-pees-in-reservoir-38-million-gallons-to-be-drained/686347/42 "2014-04-17T19:14:47Z")
> [@Blakeyrat](#): > > There was a fence. The kids climbed over it to get to the water. Actually the surveillance video shows them peeing through the fence. https://www.youtube.com/embed/9wXnTtKKSrg?feature=oembed&wmode=opaque ---
**Author:** ![gigi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/a587f6/32.png) [@gigi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gigi)\ **Post date:** [April 17, 2014, 7:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kid-pees-in-reservoir-38-million-gallons-to-be-drained/686347/43 "2014-04-17T19:16:15Z")
> [@Sicks\_Ate](#): > > You guys think urea funny, don’t you. Don’t yew? If not, the weeping will–OW! ---
**Author:** ![Suburban\_Plankton](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/suburban_plankton/32/219_2.png) [@Suburban\_Plankton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Suburban_Plankton)\ **Post date:** [April 17, 2014, 7:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kid-pees-in-reservoir-38-million-gallons-to-be-drained/686347/44 "2014-04-17T19:51:25Z")
> [@TroutMan](#): > > We’ve also had a really wet couple of months and our main watershed reservoir is pretty much full, so it’s not a big deal to dump this water. That may be true, but to those of us in drought-stricken California, it still seems just a wee bit insane. ---
**Author:** ![appleciders](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/85f322/32.png) [@appleciders](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/appleciders)\ **Post date:** [April 17, 2014, 7:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kid-pees-in-reservoir-38-million-gallons-to-be-drained/686347/45 "2014-04-17T19:53:56Z")
> [@GreasyJack](#): > > I’m going to go out on a limb here and suggest that the same city that has repeatedly rejected fluoridation proposals might, _just might_, not be all that great at performing rational risk assessment when it comes to their drinking water. > [@Ike\_Witt](#): > > Anyone care to speculate or guess how many times that reservoir has been peed in previously? They did this once last year, too. I’m having trouble coming up with a cite, because all my Googling just brings up this recent instance, but this is not a first for Portland. ---
**Author:** ![TroutMan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/troutman/32/6721_2.png) [@TroutMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TroutMan)\ **Post date:** [April 17, 2014, 7:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kid-pees-in-reservoir-38-million-gallons-to-be-drained/686347/46 "2014-04-17T19:54:45Z")
Come and get it! > [@Suburban\_Plankton](#): > > That may be true, but to those of us in drought-stricken California, it still seems just a **wee** bit insane. I see what you did there. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Lukeinva](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lukeinva/32/17872_2.png) [@Lukeinva](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lukeinva)\ **Post date:** [April 17, 2014, 7:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kid-pees-in-reservoir-38-million-gallons-to-be-drained/686347/47 "2014-04-17T19:58:17Z")
> [@Gatopescado](#): > > They should rename the city Ortland. Okay… I get it… no p… urine trouble now. ---
**Author:** ![TroutMan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/troutman/32/6721_2.png) [@TroutMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TroutMan)\ **Post date:** [April 17, 2014, 7:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kid-pees-in-reservoir-38-million-gallons-to-be-drained/686347/48 "2014-04-17T19:58:42Z")
> [@appleciders](#): > > They did this once last year, too. I’m having trouble coming up with a cite, because all my Googling just brings up this recent instance, but this is not a first for Portland. Yes, [in 2011](http://www.oregonlive.com/portland/index.ssf/2011/06/man_caught_urinating_in_mt_tab.html) - it was the same reservoir and they dumped 8 million gallons that time. ---
**Author:** ![DChord568](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/439d5e/32.png) [@DChord568](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DChord568)\ **Post date:** [April 17, 2014, 8:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kid-pees-in-reservoir-38-million-gallons-to-be-drained/686347/49 "2014-04-17T20:14:42Z")
So strike another blow for people’s perception taking precedence over actual…you know…science. Hooray. ---
**Author:** ![TroutMan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/troutman/32/6721_2.png) [@TroutMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TroutMan)\ **Post date:** [April 17, 2014, 8:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kid-pees-in-reservoir-38-million-gallons-to-be-drained/686347/50 "2014-04-17T20:17:37Z")
> [@DChord568](#): > > So strike another blow for people’s perception taking precedence over actual…you know…science. Hooray. I think I heard that drinking pee causes autism… (not really, for all the loons that find this post through google) ---
**Author:** ![Flywheel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/eb8c5e/32.png) [@Flywheel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Flywheel)\ **Post date:** [April 17, 2014, 8:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kid-pees-in-reservoir-38-million-gallons-to-be-drained/686347/51 "2014-04-17T20:20:29Z")
> [@ducati](#): > > Birds fly over and poop in the water why then, oh why can’t I? ---
**Author:** ![Red\_Stilettos](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/fbc32d/32.png) [@Red\_Stilettos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Red_Stilettos)\ **Post date:** [April 17, 2014, 8:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kid-pees-in-reservoir-38-million-gallons-to-be-drained/686347/52 "2014-04-17T20:22:55Z")
The article states that the reservoirs have signs that say “This is your drinking water. Don’t spit or throw anything into it.” That just seems like asking for trouble. Our local utility tries to keep as much of their operation as possible under wraps specifically to lower the chance of this type of vandalism. ---
**Author:** ![watchwolf49](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/e9c0ed/32.png) [@watchwolf49](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/watchwolf49)\ **Post date:** [April 17, 2014, 9:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kid-pees-in-reservoir-38-million-gallons-to-be-drained/686347/53 "2014-04-17T21:20:14Z")
> [@Sicks\_Ate](#): > > But…it’s Portland? It rains a lot, yes? It’ll probably recharge in no time. 38 million gallons would take a few days … > [@Suburban\_Plankton](#): > > That may be true, but to those of us in drought-stricken California, it still seems just a wee bit insane. Yeah, Oregonians all feel really guilty about all the trillions of gallons of pure, clean, sweet, sparklie spring water that just gets dumped into the Pacific while the Californians have to drink … whatever that stuff is that comes from the Colorado River. ---
**Author:** ![joyfool](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/df788c/32.png) [@joyfool](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/joyfool)\ **Post date:** [April 17, 2014, 10:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kid-pees-in-reservoir-38-million-gallons-to-be-drained/686347/54 "2014-04-17T22:15:42Z")
> [@Lukeinva](#): > > Okay… I get it… no p… urine trouble now. You people are bladder at this than I thought. ---
**Author:** ![gigi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/a587f6/32.png) [@gigi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gigi)\ **Post date:** [April 17, 2014, 10:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kid-pees-in-reservoir-38-million-gallons-to-be-drained/686347/55 "2014-04-17T22:20:54Z")
> [@Flywheel](#): > > why then, oh why can’t I? why oh why candiru? ---
**Author:** ![FoieGrasIsEvil](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/foiegrasisevil/32/16638_2.png) [@FoieGrasIsEvil](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FoieGrasIsEvil)\ **Post date:** [April 17, 2014, 11:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kid-pees-in-reservoir-38-million-gallons-to-be-drained/686347/56 "2014-04-17T23:54:25Z")
> [@Dallas\_Jones](#): > > The City of Portland was ordered to cover its reservoirs several years ago and has been fighting, and losing, in court for years too. They finally ran out of legal options last June and are reluctantly moving forward with plans to cover them. > > They will now get around to it, eventually, by the end of 2020, maybe. > > [http://www.portlandoregon.gov/WATER/article/330807](http://www.portlandoregon.gov/WATER/article/330807) When this thing was originally constructed, why did they _ever_ think it was a good idea for a treated drinking water reservoir to be _uncovered_ and open to the elements and whatever else nature and man can throw at or into it? Is the water treated again before it reaches the pipes? If not, that seems pretty gross to me, urine or no, but I’m ignorant of how dirty treated covered drinking water can be, so…yeah. ---
**Author:** ![TroutMan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/troutman/32/6721_2.png) [@TroutMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TroutMan)\ **Post date:** [April 18, 2014, 12:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kid-pees-in-reservoir-38-million-gallons-to-be-drained/686347/57 "2014-04-18T00:00:39Z")
The first reservoir at Mt. Tabor (there are three) was built in 1895, when there wasn’t quite the same standards for water quality. Water is not treated before it goes to homes. ---
**Author:** ![erysichthon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/d07c76/32.png) [@erysichthon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/erysichthon)\ **Post date:** [April 18, 2014, 12:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kid-pees-in-reservoir-38-million-gallons-to-be-drained/686347/58 "2014-04-18T00:21:24Z")
> [@Duckster](#): > > Actually the surveillance video shows them peeing through the fence. If I was in charge of Portland’s water supply, I’d get rid of that video surveillance system ASAP. After draining the reservoir, of course. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![aceplace57](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aceplace57/32/3500_2.png) [@aceplace57](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aceplace57)\ **Post date:** [April 18, 2014, 12:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kid-pees-in-reservoir-38-million-gallons-to-be-drained/686347/59 "2014-04-18T00:43:40Z")
Why not issue a no drink policy for a couple days? People could use the water for laundry and commodes. That happens here anytime a town’s well gets contaminated after flash flooding. They issue a don’t drink the water policy for a few days. Not a big deal. It’s been done for decades. It just seems so horrible to waste that amount of water when other states are hurting from drought. ---
**Author:** ![FoieGrasIsEvil](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/foiegrasisevil/32/16638_2.png) [@FoieGrasIsEvil](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FoieGrasIsEvil)\ **Post date:** [April 18, 2014, 3:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kid-pees-in-reservoir-38-million-gallons-to-be-drained/686347/60 "2014-04-18T03:24:55Z")
> [@TroutMan](#): > > The first reservoir at Mt. Tabor (there are three) was built in 1895, when there wasn’t quite the same standards for water quality. > > Water is not treated before it goes to homes. Jeez, 1895? Perhaps it’s time for an upgrade? And by “not treated before it goes into homes” you mean the water that’s already treated that sits in the open reservoir is not treated _again_ before it’s pumped into homes, correct? [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kid-pees-in-reservoir-38-million-gallons-to-be-drained/686347.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kid-pees-in-reservoir-38-million-gallons-to-be-drained/686347.md?page=4)