A dual-purpose reservoir.

Byline: The Register-Guard

When Robert Frost said good fences make good neighbors, he couldn't have been thinking about the Eugene Water & Electric Board's reservoir atop College Hill. The utility's plans to enclose the reservoir with a fence have drawn strong opposition from the Friendly Area Neighbors and others in Eugene. EWEB officials have now done the sensible and neighborly thing by agreeing to consider options other than closing public access to a unique open space.

There are actually three reservoirs on College Hill - a steel tank and two concrete basins. The reservoir in question holds 15 million gallons of water and covers an area nearly the size of two city blocks between Lincoln and Lawrence streets. It's capped by concrete and resembles a parking lot without the cars.

Any expanse of open space is an asset to its neighborhood. The reservoir's hilltop location and unobstructed views make it uniquely suited to stargazing and sunset-viewing by people from throughout the community.

A year ago, citing security concerns, EWEB announced plans to fence off the top of the reservoir. The utility's other reservoirs are fenced, and EWEB's primary responsibilities do not include providing prime spots for watching fireworks on the Fourth of July. But public access to the 480-foot-by-240-foot slab atop College Hill has been unimpeded since 1940, so the change threatened an amenity to which people long have been accustomed.

Moreover, both the problem and its solution seemed dubious. No threats to EWEB's water supply have been reported at any of its reservoirs. If any such threats were to arise, it's not certain that a fence would prevent them. Indeed, if the utility sees a need to protect the reservoir from vandalism or worse mischief, it might be best served by continuing to allow the public to act as unpaid security. The fact that the reservoir has been secure for two-thirds of a century could be a testament to the value of having a public presence to deter troublemakers.

EWEB officials, of course, can't talk much about the reservoir's vulnerabilities without providing information that might be useful to the wrong people. They also understand that if anything were to occur that affected the water supply, people would be demanding to know why the utility hadn't done more to prevent it. And yet, after EWEB General Manager Randy Berggren met with people in the neighborhood, the utility has found a more sensible way to approach the question of the reservoir's security.

EWEB will begin by assessing the reservoir's structural integrity - a step that ought to precede any decisions about its future. The utility will then examine a long list of options for addressing security concerns. The options range from doing nothing to installing cameras, a fence and intrusion detectors. In between those extremes are such steps as restricting access for certain uses, improving lighting, or allowing public access only on certain days.

Such a review should result in a plan that accommodates both the utility's and the public's interests. EWEB can then assess the need for improvements in access by disabled people - currently, the top of the reservoir can be reached only by climbing a flight or stairs. Disabled people's needs must be taken into account when security and public access are balanced.

The reservoir is not a park, but it's used like one. The public thereby benefits twice, and if possible, the hilltop space should continue to serve its long-standing dual purpose.