Juneau has delicious, pure, and plentiful drinking water. This is the result of both natural abundance and largely invisible infrastructure. There is a dedicated team of staff who treat and distribute that water to your tap daily – including holidays, weekends, and during severe weather. In addition, the Utility continues to replace critical aging infrastructure. This report highlights some of the construction projects that were completed during the last year to improve the reliability and resilience of the system.

– Denise Koch, Engineering & Public Works Director, 2026

Your Water. Your Report.

Per the United States Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) National Primary Drinking Water Regulations, all drinking water suppliers are required to provide the public with an annual statement describing the community’s water supply and quality. The City & Borough of Juneau Utility protects the community’s water by maintaining its purity through treatment and source‑water monitoring and delivering it safely so it remains clean and great‑tasting for residents, visitors, and businesses.

Juneau’s drinking water comes from groundwater and surface water sources. The primary water source is the Last Chance Basin (LCB) wellfield located in the Gold Creek watershed; it provides roughly two-thirds of Juneau’s water. Surface water, collected at the Salmon Creek (SC) Reservoir, comes from snowmelt and rainfall. This is Juneau’s secondary water source and supplies about one-third of the drinking water demand.

Juneau’s water requires very little treatment compared to the rest of the United States. Both sources are gently chlorinated to kill any disease causing microorganisms that may be present. As required by the EPA, all surface water is also run through an additional filtration unit.

The CBJ Utility conducts comprehensive and routine monitoring of its water supply for contaminants, including lead, which has adversely affected water systems in other communities. In the fall of 2022, the reservoir tanks underwent detailed inspection, and repairs were made to the cathodic protection systems to mitigate internal corrosion. Divers also removed accumulated sediment from the tank floors. These ongoing, proactive monitoring and maintenance activities enable CBJ to consistently provide water that meets or exceeds all EPA drinking water standards.

Protecting the Safety of CBJ’s Drinking Water and Environment

The CBJ Utility is responsible for uninterrupted provision of safe potable drinking water and the treatment and safe disposal of CBJ’s domestic and industrial waste products. Both the Water and Wastewater Divisions of the CBJ Utility are closely and carefully regulated primarily by the State of Alaska’s Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). These State and Federal regulatory agencies responsible for oversight of the CBJ Utility provide comprehensive standards and guidance to our Utility that help us maintain the highest possible standards of public health and safety for our community.

In addition to the direction and assistance provided by our regulatory colleagues, the Utility also maintains its own stringent practices for further assuring safe drinking water and environmental protection for the CBJ. Known as Best Management Practices (BMPs), the CBJ Utility routinely adopts and maintains preventative and conservative approaches especially during times when our regulatory agencies are investigating and developing standards for new and/or emerging contaminants (e.g., PFAS, lead, micro-plastics, etc.). The Utility’s BMPs, developed and maintained by our vigilant staff, add extra layers of protection and safety for our community’s potable water and wastewater disposal practices.

Utility Infrastructure Update

Maintaining vital water services requires continuous investment in aging infrastructure, and we are actively putting available funding to work to modernize and strengthen these systems for future generations.

In FY26, we have successfully invested more than $10 million in critical water and wastewater infrastructure improvements throughout the community. Completed projects include improvements at drinking water reservoirs, upgrades to the Outer Drive and West Juneau sewer lift stations, modernization of the Mendenhall Wastewater Treatment Plant’s Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition (SCADA) system, and replacement of aging water and sewer mains in the Mendenhall Valley and other areas of Juneau.

Today, we are deploying more than $15 million in additional funding towards major infrastructure improvements in FY27. These projects include drinking water well replacements at our primary water source, upgrade of a critical water pump station downtown, rehabilitation of the aging clarifier at the Juneau-Douglas Treatment Plant (JDTP), upgrades to solids and septage handling systems, construction of a new septage receiving station at JDTP, and installation of a biosolids crusher at the Mendenhall Wastewater Treatment Plant. These investments will improve system reliability, operational efficiency, and long-term treatment capacity.

Looking ahead to the next few years, more than $20 million in future capital projects are currently in the design phase with more to come. Planned investments include replacement of aging water and sewer pipelines in downtown Juneau and along Glacier Highway to the hospital, as well as development of a local biosolids disposal solution at the Mendenhall Wastewater Treatment Plant. The pipeline replacement projects are being coordinated with upcoming Alaska Department of Transportation roadway improvements to maximize the value of public funds, minimize disruption to residents, and ensure efficient project delivery.

Together, these investments represent a comprehensive commitment to utilizing available funding strategically and responsibly to renew Juneau’s critical water and wastewater infrastructure, protect public health, and provide reliable service for decades to come.

Glacial Lake Outburst Flood (GLOF)

Over the past several years, CBJ Utility’s aging infrastructure has been impacted by Glacial Lake Outburst Flood (GLOF) events. Following each flood, we have taken steps to repair damage and improve the resilience of our water and wastewater systems.

On the water system, flooding events recently eroded the supports for the aging 16-inch ductile iron water main along Back Loop Road, leaving the pipe vulnerable to damage. The supports were repaired to restore and protect service.

On the wastewater system, several lift stations in flooded areas were submerged and required repairs before operations could resume. These facilities have since been modified to reduce the risk of damage during future flood events.

In 2023, severe erosion along the Mendenhall River washed away part of the riverbank at the Mendenhall Wastewater Treatment Plant, resulting in the loss of a portion of the plant property. Since then, the riverbank has been rebuilt and reinforced with rock armor. In 2026, additional armoring was installed, along with HESCO barriers placed on top of the reinforced bank for added protection.

Other measures to maintain reliable service include sandbagging vulnerable access points at the treatment plant and conducting regular inspections of the river outfall pipe.

Despite these challenges, we remain committed to protecting our infrastructure, improving system resilience, and providing reliable water and wastewater services to the community.