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Oregon’s municipal water source is a set of three wells, with a capacity of 1,870,000 gallons per day. Storage capacity in two reservoirs is 1,700,000 gallons. The average daily demand is only 500,000 gallons per day, with a peak daily demand of 1,000,000 gallons. As a result, there is considerable excess water capacity available for use by business and industry.
Similarly, wastewater treatment capacity is 626,000 gallons per day, yet present usage is only 325,000 gallons — only half of actual capacity. Two large industrial consumers are located just outside of Oregon’s city limits, yet collaborative agreements have allowed the City to process paint line discharge for each of these metal fabrication companies.
ComEd, an Exelon company, is the energy delivery company not only for the City of Oregon, but most of northern Illinois. Unlike other states in the Midwest, Illinois provides its customers the freedom of choice when it comes to deciding on an electric supplier. Consumers are not required to use ComEd to supply their energy, which allows greater opportunities, options, and price stability over time; ComEd delivers the energy regardless of the supplier. With a service territory of over 11,400 square miles, ComEd delivers energy to approximately 70 percent of the state’s total population, as well as a majority of its industrial companies.
The Byron Nuclear Generating Station, also operated by Exelon, is less than 10 minutes northeast of Oregon, providing enough electricity to power to more than 2 million homes and employing over 800 people, with an annual payroll of $76.7 million. The nuclear plant’s multiplier effect has a tremendous economic impact on the region and the state (estimated at $1.7 billion). Each time one of the two reactors needs to be refueled, over 1,500 temporary contractors provide a boost to the economy during their stay. The plant also supports approximately 5,100 direct and secondary jobs in Illinois.
Oregon has access to high-speed broadband Internet through a fiber-optics network that provides service of up to 1GB per second. This network has been built by Northern Illinois University and comprises a 175-mile loop throughout western Chicago, including Oregon.
Oregon is also unique in having the first fiber-optic subdivision outside of the Chicago metropolitan area. Working in partnership with Comcast, the city has established a fiber connection between the iFiber ring and each individual home within the subdivision. This highspeed Internet access provides ‘work from home’ telecommunication opportunities that are not available anywhere else in this region.
Oregon’s modern, high capasity wastewater treatment plant
The Byron Nuclear Generating Station, also operated by Exelon is a 24/7 provider of base load power, far more productive than other clean energy sources and far more reliable, too.
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