# 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:** 6\ **Page:** 6
**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 22, 2014, 10:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kid-pees-in-reservoir-38-million-gallons-to-be-drained/686347/101 "2014-04-22T22:22:59Z")
> [@susan](#): > > Yes, but still “moderate drought” conditions for northern OR as of 4/1: > [http://www.oregon.gov/owrd/pages/wr/drought.aspx#Current\_Conditions\_in\_Oregon](http://www.oregon.gov/owrd/pages/wr/drought.aspx#Current_Conditions_in_Oregon) The moderate drought conditions are based on the below-average snow pack, which fills the Bull Run reservoir during the summer months. The reservoir is currently pretty much full from all the recent rains, so there isn’t room for more water now. The rain we’re still getting will keep it full for the next month despite the 38M gallon flush. > [@randompattern](#): > > According to the OP neither is the reservoir in question. As noted a few times in this thread, water is **not** treated between the open reservoir and people’s homes. It is treated _before_ getting to this reservoir. ---
**Author:** ![bobot](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bobot/32/21622_2.png) [@bobot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bobot)\ **Post date:** [April 22, 2014, 10:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kid-pees-in-reservoir-38-million-gallons-to-be-drained/686347/102 "2014-04-22T22:41:38Z")
> [@TroutMan](#): > > … > As noted a few times in this thread, water is **not** treated between the open reservoir and people’s homes. It is treated _before_ getting to this reservoir. This is utterly baffling to me. In that I can’t understand how anyone who drinks such water willingly could ever think to complain about what is contained in the water. I just don’t get it. I’m curious to know how many Portlandians filter/treat the water at personal expense in their homes. ---
**Author:** ![Mangetout](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mangetout/32/19_2.png) [@Mangetout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangetout)\ **Post date:** [April 22, 2014, 10:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kid-pees-in-reservoir-38-million-gallons-to-be-drained/686347/103 "2014-04-22T22:58:49Z")
> [@Rhythmdvl](#): > > For then next few weeks I’m no longer going to spell things on the phone with “P for Ptolemy,” “P for Pterodactyl,” or “P for pneumonia.” No, for a little while I’m going to switch to “P as in reservoir.” Fuck, you want my email address over the phone, I’m going to kick the passive agressiveness up a notch" > > \*Yes, that’s P as in reservoir. \* > Um, did you say “reservoir”? > \*Yes, P as in reservoir. Kind of like D as in dogs, but not. \* > Wait, what? The P is also silent in _bath_. ---
**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 22, 2014, 11:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kid-pees-in-reservoir-38-million-gallons-to-be-drained/686347/104 "2014-04-22T23:01:29Z")
> [@bobot](#): > > This is utterly baffling to me. In that I can’t understand how anyone who drinks such water willingly could ever think to complain about what is contained in the water. I just don’t get it. > I’m curious to know how many Portlandians filter/treat the water at personal expense in their homes. In my solely anecdotal experience, certainly no more in Portland than other places I’ve lived. And certainly fewer than in Southern California (again, only my experience). I think many people have an unrealistic idea that their water travels through completely sterile hermetically sealed chambers between the water treatment plant and their faucets, after being purified to nothing but H2O. The water here tastes better than anywhere else I’ve lived, and we don’t have incidents of mass sickness from tainted water. It’s a perception issue, nothing more. ---
**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 23, 2014, 5:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kid-pees-in-reservoir-38-million-gallons-to-be-drained/686347/105 "2014-04-23T17:50:37Z")
UPDATE - [they didn’t actually flush](http://www.oregonlive.com/gresham/index.ssf/2014/04/portlands_mt_tabor_urination_s.html) all the pee-contaminated water. Some of it was instead diverted to an adjacent decommissioned reservoir. There are a variety of excuses – it was taking too long to empty into the sewer, it’s a “test” to see if water can be held long-term in the reservoirs when they are all decommissioned next year, they wanted to make the other reservoir more attractive – but the outcry probably had something to do with that as well. ---
**Author:** ![eschereal](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/eschereal/32/18939_2.png) [@eschereal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/eschereal)\ **Post date:** [April 23, 2014, 6:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kid-pees-in-reservoir-38-million-gallons-to-be-drained/686347/106 "2014-04-23T18:37:21Z")
> [@aceplace57](#): > > Why not issue a no drink policy for a couple days? People could use the water for laundry and commodes. I believe that water already does get used for that. For washing dishes, taking showers, watering the lawn, washing the car. Only a very small fraction of that water would actually have gone into people’s bodies. Of course, _that_ fraction would be the contaminated part. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kid-pees-in-reservoir-38-million-gallons-to-be-drained/686347.md?page=5)