The ambitious project by the Portland Water Bureau to construct a new water filtration facility has hit staggering new financial heights, as the estimated cost has now surged to over $2 billion. Initially set at $500 million back in 2017, the project's price tag has seen multiple increases, rising to $1.4 billion in 2019, and then to $1.8 billion the following year. This latest jump was confirmed last Wednesday when the Portland City Council approved the construction of the 50-acre plant located in rural eastern Multnomah County, as noted by KGW.

While officials are quick to assure that the monstrously climbing costs won't wash away ratepayers' wallets, the expense of the Bull Run water treatment plant represents the priciest municipal project in Portland's history. The city faces an additional $300 million hike over the previous projection, as reported by OregonLive. Public discontent stirs about this, with critics worried that the ever-inflating budget could spell disaster for the local economy and residents alike.

Not only are fiscal concerns rallying Portlanders, but the impending construction has also brewed a storm of controversy among those living in the vicinity of the proposed site. Residents fear the project will irrevocably damage their community, nestled roughly 40 minutes from Portland City Hall. According to KATU, local inhabitant Lauren Courter expressed their determination to fight back, saying, "We've learned so much about our community and the things that we value here, and it's made us that much more excited about fighting Goliath."

Despite the upheaval, the plan marches forward after the city council votes to accept another cost hike and usher the project into its next phase. Whether the community’s David can successfully challenge the bureau’s Goliath remains to be seen, as city officials tally up expenditures and prepare to break ground on an endeavor that has become both a financial behemoth and a battleground of civic engagement.