The first public water system for the City of Forest Grove was built circa 1908.

A water intake was constructed on Clear Creek, a tributary of Gales Creek.  A transmission line, constructed of logs with a ten-inch hole bored through the center, conveyed water from the intake to the present site of the water treatment facility (Buxton Hill).  Here it was stored in a concrete reservoir built at the same time as the intake and transmission line. This reservoir is still in use as the settling basin for the water treatment plant.

In 1947, a new five-million gallon water reservoir was constructed at the Buxton Hill site (now known as Watercrest Road site).  In 1947-48 a water treatment plant was built at the site.  This was one of the first rapid sand filter treatment facilities built in Oregon.  It could produce 1.7 million gallons of treated water in a 24-hour day.

During the fall of 1978, the 30-year old water treatment plant was shut down for rebuilding. Construction was completed in the spring of 1980 and the plant again started treating water from the Clear Creek watershed.