December 1, 2022 11:10 a.m. 

U.S. Senators Ron Wyden and Jeff Merkley have announced that the City of Gates will receive a $400,000 Rural Development grant from the U.S. Department of Agriculture to install a backup power source at their reservoir for fire-resilient municipal water service.

Wyden said Gates “…has made tremendous progress recovering from the catastrophic fire event in September of 2020, but the road is long and expensive”. Wyden said he is heartened to see that community seek out resilient solutions as it builds back from the disaster. Wyden said, “A solar-powered back-up power source will ensure that the water facility in the heart of Gates will remain resilient and continue to provide vital services to the community for years to come”.

Merkley said, “I’ve been inspired by Oregonian’s resilience through the extreme weather events and catastrophic wildfires our state has experienced, and it’s great to see many of these communities on the path towards recovery and rebuilding”.

A release said the City of Gates will use the Rural Development grant to install a backup power source at their reservoir, a grid-connected solar cell and battery onsite, 44 replacement water filters, a steel mesh net wall to maintain road access, and a new pump station. Gates lost roughly half its structures during the September 2020 wildfires, which in turn exposed service lines and caused major system leaks. The fire damage rendered the current reservoir and pump station unfit for inhabitants, which is why the city plans to build a back-up system that can remain resilient without electricity, according to the release.

Gates Water Commissioner and Mayor-elect Brian Gander thanked the senators for their support.