Hillsboro’s secondary drinking water source is the Willamette River.

The Willamette River is 187 miles long, and it the 19th largest river in the United States by volume. The river originates south of Eugene, Oregon, with the water intake for Hillsboro located in Wilsonville.
The Willamette River was selected in 2013 to be Hillsboro’s additional source after a rigorous long-term supply study. Multiple sources were considered, with the Willamette River selected after a multi-year technical study and public input process. The decision was made based on multiple criteria, with the Willamette out-performing alternatives on water quality, lower costs, local ownership, reliability, and fewer environmental impacts.

The Willamette Water Supply System is a partnership between the Cities of Hillsboro and Beaverton, and the Tualatin Valley Water District to develop the Willamette River at Wilsonville as an additional water source for the region. The entire water system is built to seismic standards and designed to withstand the impacts of a large earthquake or other natural disaster. 

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