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Entering August, most of Portland was painted in shades of brown.
This summer, the city experienced 46 days without rain. The grass from Powell Butte to Beaverton is crisp and dry. The risk of fire in the forest park is so serious that city officials are driving away drunk teenagers and homeless people-for fear that they will burn the park.
In other parts of the state, the situation is even worse. 19 of the 36 counties in the state are officially in a state of drought emergency. Along the border between Oregon and California, the river level is so low that most of the newly hatched salmon have died.
But let us be clear: Portland is far from drought. It has not been experienced once in decades. The H2O supply collected in the Bull Run Reservoir every winter is difficult to use up.
Some Portlanders just like to soak their lawn in the sweet Bull Run water.
They plant huge hedges of conifers, decorative trees, and rhododendron gardens. They fill up the swimming pool. They provide food for face-shaped fountains, which spray water through marble mouths.
For the ninth time since 2001, WW has extracted water use records from two municipal departments-the Portland Water Authority and the Palatine Hill Water District, which serves Dunthorpe's high-end unincorporated community-to find records from June 2020. January 1 to May 31, 2021.
We do this for several reasons: First, the drought that plagues the southern part of our state reminds people that Oregon’s natural resources are not inexhaustible, and with climate change, the spirit of sustainability is more important than ever. . Second, we believe that disclosing these numbers may embarrass people and reduce their consumption (for many years, we have seen a steady decrease in the number of gallons consumed at the high end of the list). Finally, if we don’t admit that it’s funny, then we’re lying: knowing which of your neighbors has been running the sprinkler all summer will allow you to have a lively conversation around the (cough) drinking fountain.
Interestingly, personal water consumption in this city is declining-in the past 20 years, due to modern technologies such as fancy toilets and more efficient showers and plumbing.
In short, it is more difficult to use more water than it was 20 years ago.
But the homeowners listed here did not reduce their usage.
"The outliers are still roughly in the same [range]," said Edward Campbell, director of resource conservation and planning at the Water Authority. "Their usage rate is similar to the usage rate in the earlier WW Hydro Hog article."
(By the way: if the homeowner reports a leak to the municipal water supplier and reduces their bills, we remove them from the list-the leak is the city’s responsibility, not theirs. If the owner fixes the leak by themselves, we have taken care Arrived-but they stay on the list.)
This year's Hydro Hogs includes industry giants, sushi kings, and some of Oregon's largest philanthropists. There is a dentist, a former lawyer, and even a state senator.
What they have in common is that they all live on patches of green grass.
Craig Kiest has been landscaping these types of magnificent gardens for decades and has worked in many Hydro Hogs gardens this year. He said that these attributes are defined by their vastness, perfect organization and seclusion. Kist called it "the land of hedges."
"I don't know this is for privacy," he said, "or to create my own world."
On the next page, we will take you into the hedge. Pour yourself a glass of ice water, put your camping chair on the brown grass that you still call lawn, and enjoy.
Of all the Portlanders hiding in closed houses during the pandemic, Paul Brenneke may have made the most of his time.
His investment company Sortis Holdings invested in troubled companies in 2020-such as Rudy's Barbershop and a camping company called Happier Camper-and he believes these companies can be profitable. His acquisitions include the company that owns Bamboo Sushi, the chain favored by Mayor Ted Wheeler, and most of the starting lineup of the Portland Trail Blazers. In November last year, he told Oregon Business that he chose Bamboo because sushi is very suitable for home delivery: “Many delicacies are not spread well,” he observed. "Sushi is very popular because it is room temperature and not too cold. This is something that people don't make at home."
Brenneke started working in the real estate industry and in the early 2000s became part of a group of ambitious developers who began to build high-rise buildings in the city center. Brenneke is not interested in discussing his water usage. He did not respond to a request for comment from his investment company.
He bought a 1.85-acre property on South Somerville Avenue in 2001, surrounded by tall fir trees, isolating him from neighboring properties. It is equipped with a swimming pool, multiple porches and a covered pool area with sun loungers. This 10,400 square foot house is incredible white, surrounded by neat square grass and neatly manicured hedges. In 2015, when Brenneke ranked 9th, he told WW that the list was “slandering people who own big houses”.
How much water did he use?
Enough to extinguish 56 houses engulfed by flames.
Inskeep ignored multiple phone calls, voice mails, and handwritten notes written on a torn paper in front of his brick Dunthorpe manor.
Inskeep's father helped found the state's first mutual fund company. Inskeep now runs a number of IFC foundations that invest and provide university scholarships. An environmental learning center at Clackamas Community College is named after Inskeep's grandfather.
His property is located on Southwest Tieshan Avenue and is now worth $4.3 million, dotted with shrubs, tree-lined trees, and climbing plants winding upwards. Unlike many of his neighbors who just set up hedges around their property, Inskeep has double protection to prevent bystanders: hedges and fences. It is only 4 feet high and is unlikely to prevent anyone from starting to run.
How much water did he use?
Enough to fill 25,772 standard drums.
Hosts: Kate Lieber and Monique Matheson
Senator D-Beaverton is not excited to hear that she is one of the city's largest water users. "Well, that's not great," she said.
Lieber is the first Hydro Hog ever to serve as a state senator. She and her wife, Monique Matheson, are a powerful couple: Matheson is the chief human resources officer at Nike’s global headquarters located across the Southwest Mountain. Lieber was elected to the Oregon Senate last year after a career working as a prosecutor for the Multnomah County District Attorney's Office on child abuse cases. The couple met during Indiana Law School and had two children.
They bought a 1.8-acre property near Sylvan Highlands in 2013. It is located at the end of a long, gated driveway lined with rhododendron bushes. The White House is surrounded by huge trees and lush ground coverings, as well as swimming pools and tennis courts.
Lieber showed shrewd political instincts, had a 20-minute conversation with WW about her family's water usage, and gracefully expressed her embarrassment. Lieber said that when she told Matheson the news, she was also embarrassed. "You think Oregon has a lot of water, but as a legislator in the first year, I really understand that this is not true. Drought is very serious for all Oregonians. We all need to pay attention to water." She added, They will install a brand new sprinkler system this winter.
How much water did they use?
Enough to run the dishwasher 329,641 times.
Xiao's wife, Ellie, seemed happy to receive a call, explaining that she and retired venture capitalist and real estate developer Ralph were on the list for the fifth time. Ellie Shaw, a Puerto Rican woman who met Ralph in New York at the age of 18, did not hesitate to invite WW to take a look at the property.
Neat shrubs, roses, azaleas and two different water features accentuate the perfectly straight lawn lines. Located above the artificial waterfall are two sculpture renderings of their two children. This French Renaissance style house is located between the southwest hills and the city hall peak, with views of Mount St. Helens, magnificent and gorgeous (Ellie Shaw liked the 18th-century 2-foot-tall doll). Paquita la del Barrio, a Chihuahua from the Xiao family, leaped down the paved path through the backyard to the swimming pool with its own bathroom. Ellie Shaw said her gardener used the land to train apprentices.
As she led WW through the backyard, the reporter thought aloud how expensive the water bill must be. "Nothing, Sherlock," Ellie Shaw said.
Meanwhile, Ralph Shaw spent the entire time we were there eating buttered toast, watching TV, and flipping through business newspapers. The reporter sat down and chatted with him, and when he started chatting, he said: "Okay, so what's the problem?" He didn't seem to be particularly excited or annoyed when he was included in the list again. He just wants to eat his toast quietly.
How much water did he use?
Enough to fill up the Splash Mountain Waterway in Disneyland.
The Shaw family has also been on the list four times: in 2001, 2002, 2003 and 2015.
Owners: Paul Schneider and Lauren Eulau
Paul Schneider responded to WW's inquiries via text: "Uh. Not good. When we received the quarterly water bill in July, we immediately adjusted the irrigation system to reduce water consumption. We are absolutely committed to responsible water use. "When asked if he would be willing to accept a short interview, Schneider texted: "No, thank you."
Schneider and Eulau are now retired. They are the founders of Twist, a boutique jewelry and design store with stores in Portland and Seattle. Their story is a romantic story in Portland: the two met at the University of Oregon, one was a potter and the other was a weaver. Their home is equipped with a swimming pool and a “breakfast garden”. In 2010, “Architectural Digest” featured a Seattle architect’s design (their courtyard was designed by a world-renowned gardener, and their garden was designed by another architect. Designed by a respected gardener).
This 1.3-acre lawn near the forest highland is a large concrete landscape, sparsely laid out with trees similar to Laurax, six kinds of grass with slightly different textures on different levels of the garden, and seemingly random and messy Strange artistic structure.
How much water did they use? Enough for 1,895 hours of continuous operation of the high-pressure cleaner.
Host: Steven and Rachel Heller
When we contacted Steve Heller, a retired investment banker, he said, "Oh, kid." Heller told WW, "I have always been on the side of the environment, which makes me feel very embarrassed."
Heller blamed all the water use on the many years of restoration and planting after purchasing the property in 2008, when it was completely overgrown with ivy and blackberries. He said they have been switching to drip irrigation as much as possible, "Finding and correcting any leaks we encountered, I think we have done it now. It is too bad for us to be involved, because we have no intention to use more than we should. Share. I really care about it."
His property borders Marshall Park. Heller hopes his place on the list is a one-off, because the lawn and garden have already been built. He and his gardener mainly maintain perennials: "Most of them are eaten by deer."
Heller called WW for the second time before publishing, explaining that his water bill had been reduced by a third in the most recent quarter.
How much water did they use? Enough for every Portlander to drink 14 glasses of Coke.
Hosts: Genevieve Haldeman and Byron Lee Burkhalter/Mike and Cynthia Warn
Byron Burkhalter and Genevieve Haldeman own Dunthorpe's property-but they are not solely responsible for its water use.
Property records confirm that the family only bought the house in December last year-which means that the six months of water we tracked in a year belonged to the previous owners, Mark and Cynthia Warn (Mark and Cynthia Warn). ). And the warning proved that three separate leaks on the property last summer were repaired by landscaping services.
Mike Warn is a hangar rental service manager at Aurora Airport in Oregon (he comes from a family of auto parts manufacturing).
This 6,800-square-foot house in Dunthorpe has two winding paths leading to a swimming pool and clusters of red, green and brown bushes. In front of the house, shrubs and trees are illuminated by ground lights.
The current owners Burkhalter and Haldeman recently arrived from San Francisco and run Out of Privilege, a company founded in 2018 that provides racism and privilege training to schools, companies and individuals. (Burkhalter is a former university professor and is black, while Haldeman is the long-term communications director of multiple technology companies and is white.) Racism and white supremacy are systemic in their daily lives," their website reads .
The couple said they would make changes. "We are understanding the specifics of the property and actively making changes to make the property more sustainable, including reducing water consumption. We are committed to minimizing our environmental impact and becoming a responsible member of the Portland community ." They did not respond to requests for more information.
How much water did they use? Enough for 58 cows for a whole year.
Host: Christine and Josh Collins
When Christine Collins contacted us, after WW stuffed a note on the door and asked two window cleaners in bright pink shirts to pass on a message, she said she had prepared the talking points.
"We have a beautiful home and yard, and this is where we choose to spend our money. We have a good reputation in the water department, we work hard and pay taxes. We have not violated any regulations," Christine Collins told WW. She said that when Governor Kate Brown advised Oregonians to reduce water use last month, “we cut the sprinklers in half and our backyard turned brown like everyone else.”
The Collins bought Dunthorpe's home from former pioneer Rashid Wallace in 2018. The property has been vacant for 14 years, so the Collins spent time and money to revive the land. It shows: There is a beautiful green front yard, trimmed shrubs, trees and incredible green grass, and eight sprinklers in the morning on weekdays.
Josh Collins is the long-term CEO of saw chain manufacturer Blount International and previously served as a member of the US Marine Corps. He is now a partner of a private equity investment company. Christine used to be a lawyer and is now the full-time mother of their three children. Josh Collins told WW that this issue had an element of public humiliation, and said that reading Collins’s last comment listed last time—in a different home, in 2015—is harmful. (In that case, Palatine Landscape confirmed the leak shortly before the release.)
How much water did they use? Enough to make 4,275 bottles of wine.
Previous pig honors: 2015 (species)
Host: Timothy and Mary Boyle
To a person worth $2.7 billion, Tim Boyle's house in Xishan seems quite ordinary. Boyle is the CEO of Columbia Sportswear Company, one of the largest private employers in the state. He and his wife are one of the largest philanthropists in the state, and Boyle is particularly interested in providing services to the homeless.
Boyle believes that most of his water is used to sustain the life of the rhododendron plants surrounding his 2.1 acres. "If we want the gardens to disappear," he added, "of course we can't water them." Boyle said that his entire property is almost a garden, full of roses, blueberry bushes, daffodils, " "Safflower" and other cut flowers. On a dry afternoon in August when WW visited, the floor of his house was damp due to hydration.
How much water did they use? Enough for 124 Portlanders to take a bath for eight minutes every day of the year.
When WW got in touch with Hillman about ranking 10th this year, he said it was "better than No. 1" (this is where he landed in 2015).
As the heir to the Pittsburgh industrialist and venture capitalist, Hillman owns a robotics company that dabbles in finer things such as glass sculptures.
His property is located in Dunthorpe, South Military Place. It was purchased for $6.5 million. It covers an area of 4.2 acres with bushes, trees, flowers and a private tennis court. During World War II, Hillman and his wife Amber were playing here. . Visited.
"Ah, beautiful!" Hillman said to Amber, who was dressed in white, just hitting a beautiful ball. WW asked if a bearded man on the property was their gardener. In response, he blinked and cut his garden scissors.
How much water did he use? Enough to make 19,000 medium-sized ice sculptures for your next dinner party.
Previous pig honor: We must owe it to Hillman. Since topping the list in 2015, Hillman has halved its water consumption from 1.5 million gallons.
Cain owns a development company with 2.4 acres of land adjacent to Tryon Creek State Natural Area. The house has an Italian marble entrance, a studio, a private tennis court with overhead lights for night play, and a swimming pool and hot tub.
His development company Gramor builds shopping centers in the suburbs of Portland and Vancouver. The newly remodeled Vancouver waterfront is a decade-long project developed by Cain's company. He also owns a five-spice seafood and wine bar at Lake Oswego, where small fish fillets and lobster tail dinners cost $58.50.
After WW tried to contact him by phone, Cain sent an email to WW asking what the story was about, and then terrified us after hearing the news.
How much water did he use? By dumping Gatorade’s team cooler on the coach’s head, it was enough to celebrate 73,683 Super Bowl victories.
Nouredine fled Lebanon as a teenager to escape political violence. He now owns several dental clinics in the town and is the chairman of the Oregon Arab American Cultural Center.
His wife Raina Nouredine told WW that she met Hardy when she was his patient. Now they have three children together. His house is located on a 2-acre riverfront estate along Willamette and is valued at $5.5 million. The driveway leading to the house is bounded by a stone wall, on top of which stands two lion statues. Trimmed vines and climbing plants cover the thick pillars in front. The light pink stucco house includes a four-car garage with a Range Rover in front, a cobblestone driveway and a marble walkway leading to the entrance. The same water feature frames the huge wooden front door.
Hadi Nouredine did not respond to WW's call. He did not respond after we visited his Dunthorpe's house. Raina said he would lend a helping hand.
When WW explained the reason for the visit, Raina Nouredine didn't seem surprised or disturbed. When praised for the beautiful house, she said, "Oh, you are so cute", and then went outside to pick up a package left at the door.
How much water did they use? In the hot summer, enough to provide 349 bottles of half a liter of drinking water for every homeless person in Multnomah County.
Host: Jillian and Ronald Cain
Ronald Kane heard that he was on the Hydro Hogs list and was silent for 10 seconds. "Are you there?" WW asked. "Yes," said. When we asked him if he would like to comment, he said, "No comment," and then hung up.
Cain is the president of the Cain Petroleum Company, which has been in the family since its establishment in 1937. He owns 30 Chevron gas stations and 11 Chevron convenience stores. In 2002, the Oregon Department of Environmental Quality imposed a $1.4 million fine on the company because the agency said it failed to properly clean up the fuel spill (Cain appealed and settled with DEQ).
When WW visited Dunthorpe Manor, three gardeners were trimming the hedges behind two doors. An American flag is flying. Three older women were walking their dogs next to the house, and one of them said, “One day we will come to this house and they won’t work anymore.” One of the gardeners refused to talk to WW.
Kirk Day is an artist whose works range from naked, plump women to abstract renderings from the days of his father's army pilots, as well as making molten glass sculptures. The 70-year-old artist is a board member of the Portland Museum of Art. He also uses a lot of water. He told WW that he has been trying to reduce water consumption for many years.
Why? Because it is expensive. "Trust me, for the past four years, I have been trying to reconsider my water consumption. It is very expensive. I would love to add more water, but the monthly bill is shocking," Day said. When told that he was on the list of the biggest water users this year, he said: "Well, this is a dubious honor."
The property occupies 2.6 acres and is adjacent to Lewis and Clark College. Approximately three quarters of the acres are watered by sprinkler systems. House photos released in recent years show a life-size woman in a light-colored dress, seeming to float on an incredible green grass at the entrance of the house. The word "Quiet" is written above the door. Dai said these functions no longer exist.
Dai declined to disclose more information about himself because he said he "has no time now," but added: "I hope we can use less water."
How much water did he use? Enough to water a 40 x 40 foot lawn for 530 years.
Crainic is the youngest Hydro Hog this year, only 33 years old. He is the CEO of Time Auto Group, which is rapidly acquiring car dealers across the state, including a dealer selling luxury cars in Europe. He graduated from Cleveland High School and has four young children with his wife Domnika and a dog named George.
He did not respond to multiple phone calls and voice mails from WW. His sister answered the phone at some point. When WW said the story was about excessive water use, she asked: "Is this about boats?" (We are still not sure which boats she is talking about.) When WW contacted the car dealer where Crainic works, a name The employee called Andrew called back the "screening request" and said that Crainic was at an auto show in Monterey, California
WW later visited the Georgian-influenced colony of Crainic in Dunthorpe, which was equipped with a wine cellar. It is surrounded by perfectly shaped shrubs and green lawns, and behind the house is a swimming pool and a stepping stone water feature.
At his home, a woman who claimed to be a friend said that Crainic was in a meeting downstairs and could not speak. She said she would pass the message. Crainic never returned to WW.
How much water did they use? Enough to keep 50 George-sized dogs hydrated for 75 years.
Hosts: Walter "Skip" and Judith Grodahl
Skip Grodahl is the CEO of a real estate development company that focuses on affordable housing complexes in Portland and New Mexico, as well as complexes in Los Angeles, Las Vegas, and Texas.
When Judith Grodall learned that she and her husband were on the list, she was surprised, ashamed, and a little upset: "Oh my God. We spent so much money, we don’t know what’s the problem. They have been looking for Underground leaks. We are worried that we will be included in this list. We don’t need so much water. There is something wrong here.” She said that a leak detector company will come out for inspection soon.
Grodahl was attending her son's wedding in California. When she returned, she shared with WW that their gardener repaired the leaked documents in April. The Grodahl and his wife paid more than $900 for this: "To be honest, we are working Do our best to solve this problem." The property is hidden behind a 10-foot-high hedge, covering half an acre, south of the Oregon Zoo.
How much water did they use? Enough to fill an Olympic size swimming pool with a hot tub next to it.
Host: Steve and Jean Rose
Steve Roth is the president of an investment consulting company. He and Jean are important donors to numerous charities, including a donation of $16,000 to The Nature Conservancy in 2018. This is only more than twice their annual water bill.
A 15-foot hedge surrounds their 1.3-acre Dunthorpe estate on the east side of the Tryon Creek State Natural Area. Tall, dense and thin trees, short shrubs and flowers dot the perimeter of the White House.
The Ross family did not respond to multiple calls, but WW left a note on their door. (Their Golden Retriever carries a purple toy and sticks his nose through the door.) Steve Rose replied via e-mail: "There are more than 350 trees and more than 300 bushes in our property. Trees and Shrubs store carbon and play an important role in reducing the impact of man-made climate change. These trees and shrubs need watering and care."
How much water did they use? Enough to fill 4,259 water beds, allowing you to spend the night with friends.
This attribute is a mystery. Unlike the others on the list, it’s a mess—and it’s not clear if anyone lives there permanently. During the two visits by WW, no one was in Dunthorpe's house, and no one responded to a letter left on the door. The roof is dotted with moss, branches and branches. A covered swimming pool with a diving board was left unused. Due to the rain, the middle of the pool drooped and turned into a muddy puddle. Unlike all other properties on the list, the grass is mostly brown. The windows are opaque with dust and dirt.
In 2007, this property was also on the list when it was owned by the late publisher Robert Noyes Jr. Since Noyce's death in 2010, there has been no registered voter associated with this address.
According to public records, this 4.4 acre property was purchased in 2014. Neighbors and colleagues believe that the owner of the property is Arthur Berg and cannot be reached through his company, First Commerce of America. In a 2017 lawsuit filed against CCXL due to a border dispute, Berg's son John lives on the property. A former in-law of Berg told WW that the property had a major leak last summer and had been repaired. No evidence of repairs was provided before the deadline.
How much water does the property use? Enough to drink the recommended amount of water per day for 3,492 years.
Owners: Greg Goodman and Susan Dee Schnitzer
When WW called to announce their place on the list, Greg Goodman and his wife Susan Dee Schnitzer (a large tract of land in downtown Portland) Owner) is on his way to the beach. "Oh, great," Goodman said sarcastically to Schnitzer who was standing nearby. "We are Hydro Hogs."
When Schnitzer looked panicked, Goodman told her: "They got it from the city. We can't argue." They said they reported the leak to the gardener but not to the city government. "My wife is emailing or texting him right now," Goodman told WW.
Before the deadline, they provided the leaked documents repaired by a gardening company in late July and proved that their water bill in the most recent quarter had tripled from the previous quarter.
Although the West Hills house is large, it does not have the equipment we have seen in many of the other properties on the list. No swimming pool, no tennis court, no gorgeous features.
Goodman is the co-president of the Downtown Development Group, a family business that owns real estate in every corner of the city and many properties in the city center. Goodman said they were not even at home for five months last year; they lived on the beach. "But I think I'm a water pig, so I won't deny it, but it must be because of a water leak, because I have lived in the same house for 35 years and have never been on the list before. I have the same lawn and everything."
How much water did they use? 12,597,180 medium-sized water balloons are enough for a water balloon battle.
Donnelly is a 45-year-old, moderate-speaking senior vice president of finance at Intuit and a former Nike chief financial officer. When WW knocked on his door, he seemed surprised to be on the list this year. He was attending a Zoom meeting at the time and knew that the property was listed due to a leak in 2015. He said he suspected a leak again: "Now I am nervous because I do see that the water bill is very high. This is really shocking."
Donnelly served as the CFO of well-known companies such as eBay and Nike in the previous few years, and worked for General Electric for 10 years.
The property has a long gravel driveway, flanked by tall hedges leading to the house, there are neatly manicured shrubs and green lawns, and is equipped with children's symbols: trampoline and basketball hoop. Plants climb up the brick wall of the house, and hydrangeas are arranged inside the house. When WW left and stopped to peek through the hedges of neighboring properties, Donnelly's wife and dog were running down the driveway. "Hello, is there anything you are looking for?" she said, a little stiff. The reporter simply explained that she had already talked to Patrick, and his wife didn't seem to be particularly happy.
Correction: A previous version of this story stated that Paul Brenneke worked at Guardian Real Estate before starting his own real estate business (ie his brother's company). Brenneke has never worked at Guardian Real Estate. WW regrets the error.
Correction: In a previous version of this story, WW said that Kirk Day's house currently has a statue of a woman in front of the door, with the word "serenity" written above the door. Dai said these functions no longer exist. WW regrets the error.
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