Lebanon, OR. — The City of Lebanon has been awarded $2 million in state funding during Oregon’s 2026 legislative short session to support upgrades to its wastewater treatment facility.
According to city officials, the funding will be used to address aging infrastructure, improve system capacity, and maintain compliance with state and federal water quality requirements. The facility currently serves nearly 20,000 residents and hundreds of businesses.
Planned improvements are intended to increase operational reliability and support anticipated population growth, including additional housing development. The upgrades are also expected to help the city continue meeting regulatory standards tied to wastewater treatment and discharge into the South Santiam River.
City Manager Ron Whitlatch said the funding will support ongoing infrastructure needs and long-term system performance.
“This funding is a significant investment in Lebanon’s future, and we are grateful for the support of the Legislature this session,” Whitlatch said.
Mayor Ken Jackola said the project reflects coordination between local and state officials.
“We are grateful to Representative Jami Cate for putting the request forward, and to Senator Fred Girod and members of the Joint Ways and Means Committee for supporting this project,” Jackola said.
City officials said the funding follows two years of legislative outreach related to infrastructure priorities. Planning and engineering work for the upgrades will proceed in coordination with state regulatory agencies, with construction timelines to be announced as project design advances.
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