No one in their right mind would oppose drinking water for people. However, the massive Lake Oswego water treatment plant (LOTWP) belongs in Lake Oswego, not in one of our neighborhoods. More than 70 residents testified at the planning commission meetings against the LOTWP expansion. Many of these people would never get involved unless they saw a glaring problem. During the testimony, it became obvious that LOTWP was trying to persuade using half-truths, deliberate deceptions and outright lies. Here are just a few.

Half-truths: 1. The intertie is a benefit to WL. The intertie already exists and was used as the basis for the last plant expansion. 2. Tigard needs the water. Tigard gets its water from Portland; award-winning Bull Run water.

Deliberate deceptions: 1. The LOTWP artist rendering of the plant was half the real, huge size. 2. Trying to obtain the plant permit without getting a pipeline permit to split the opposition. 3. Having our city attorney, who also works for Tigard, advise that residents couldn't speak about the project until the application had been filed, although Lake Oswego has been lobbying our leaders for more than a year.

Outright lies: LOTWP said they had two property assessments showing no change in the value of surrounding properties, and that they had a hydrologist report that showed their 48-inch pipe would only lower the Clackamas in mid-summer by 2 inches. Copies of these reports were requested almost two months ago, with no results. They don't exist.

Why would LOTWP stoop to such lows? They know this plant is the lynchpin that will control development in Washington and Clackamas counties. When Lake Oswego gets the keys to the water, it will decide the development patterns of the entire region. Clackamas County will not be able to grow without water. Because the pipe, it wants to install will draw 3.4 times more that the existing one. It will have a lot of excess capacity. Water for Stafford has been mentioned several times.

In our code, to be approved, an expansion of this plant must provide benefit to West Linn. The intertie already exists, therefore there is no benefit. The goals the council has adopted say that no support is to be given to the development of Stafford. The planning commission was about to turn down the proposal when LOTWP withdrew its application. However, we have a city manager, Chris Jordan, who was the LO assistant manager and lives in LO, and an assistant city manager, Kirsten Wyatt, who is married to an employee of Tigard. Chris Jordan is now their point man to work his magic behind the scenes to get the plant moving forward, ignoring the codes and nullifying the wishes of residents and neighborhood associations. If he succeeds, will he be the Lake Oswego manager?

This needs to be stopped.

The area around the plant will be involved in heavy construction for two-three years, and our commuters will have to put up with lots of delays and big trucks while they dig their new pipeline down Highway 43 into Lake Oswego.

Would Lake Oswego allow us to do this huge project in its city? I think not.

I urge you to contact Mayor Kovash and councilors Jones, Tan, Carson and Cummings to let them know your concerns.

Jack Norby is a 16-year resident of West Linn and former president of the Robinwood Neighborhood Association.