Polson council must make expensive decision Monday

POLSON – Polson sewer ratepayers face much higher monthly bills over the next 20 years as EPA regulations force hamstrung city officials to build a new wastewater plant that will cost at least $15.7 million.

After about 2 years of grappling over the mandates, the city council will vote at Monday’s 6 p.m. special meeting on which of two plans they will proceed with to satisfy the EPA’s edicts.

“About 12 years ago the city did a 10-year Band Aid (to improve the plant),” Shrives said Thursday. “That Band Aid is worn out.”

Option 1 calls for a $15.7 million facility while Option 2, which uses a different process, would cost $18.3 million, according to a city report.

The new plant will cost ratepayers an estimated $60 to $64 extra every month, said City Manager Mark Shrives. That would mean the average monthly bill would range between about $90 and $94, according the report.

“That would be an engineer’s estimate which is always a worst-case scenario,” Shrives said.