About the Willamette River Water Coalition
WRWC Mission: Maintain the public’s rights on the Willamette River for local and regional needs
The Willamette River Water Coalition (WRWC) was created in 1997 under ORS Chapter 190 and is comprised of four local governments that have united together in order to preserve access to the Willamette River as a water source for their communities. The WRWC partners include the cities of Tigard, Tualatin, and Sherwood, as well as the Tualatin Valley Water District (TVWD). All of these agencies are committed to protecting the Willamette River by working together to maintain their shared water right through responsible management and stakeholder engagement related to this valuable resource. The Willamette River Water rights are an asset to the communities
WRWC holds a water right from the Oregon Water Resource Department to access up to 130 million gallons of water per day from the Willamette River. The City of Sherwood is currently the only WRWC partner utilizing the Willamette River for their community’s drinking water needs. TVWD will begin using this supply in 2026 as their primary water source when the new Willamette Water Supply System is operational. All WRWC partners are committed to preserving access to this regionally important water source.
As the metro area continues to grow, the individual WRWC agencies expect to see increases in both population and water use within their communities in the next twenty years and beyond. As a result of this growth, a proportional increase in water demand is anticipated based on comprehensive forecasting tools used by each partner. It is imperative that WRWC partners plan for this future growth in order to ensure that there is adequate water availability to support important services, such as firefighting and public health protection through access to safe, reliable drinking water. It is for this reason that the WRWC's missions to “maintain the public’s rights on the Willamette River for local and regional needs” is so important for future generations.
