City OKs cheaper wastewater plant

POLSON – Commissioners made a decision on construction of the proposed wastewater plant designed to save ratepayers about $4 million and avoid skyrocketing fees. (See related story on page 2)

Council members voted unanimously Nov. 17 to proceed with construction of a $14.8 million wastewater facility instead of the $18.9 million option previously proposed.

But the council caught the wrath of ratepayers when they received letters in September telling them their rates would essentially triple over the next 20 years.

“With the $4 million savings we will see less of a rate increase,” said city manager Mark Shrives. “We will still be doing another increase, and we will now be going back and doing those calculations.”

He reminded Polson dwellers that the city is still working off engineers’ estimates that could vary widely.

“We are still looking at other grant opportunities, which would also lower the rates,” he said. “And (we) are always hopeful we can get good construction bids which will also lower the cost. “

City officials have known for up to 15 years that the 50-year-old lagoons would have to be replaced, yet rates stayed flat for at least 10 years.

Part of the reason for the escalated fees was the city’s mandate to have enough money to pay for any potential upgrades.

“That (cost) is something we have built into the rate increase so that we shouldn’t see that sticker shock in 20 years,” Shrives said.

Shrives and Mayor Heather Knutson were adamant about making a decision now to be sure the city could meet EPA-mandated deadlines.

“There is a looming deadline but by moving forward with the project now, we are showing steps toward compliance,” Shrives said. “With that we feel we will be able to continue a good working relationship with the EPA.”

It also helped that the EPA backed off of some of its most expensive regulations, Shrives said.

The two biggest cost-affecting factors are changes to EPA and other agency regulations and population growth, Knutson said.

The approved plant will be designed to add a filtration phase, if necessary, Knutson said. And the current plant should easily handle the estimated growth of about 2,000 residents by 2034.

Still, the city has been out of compliance since January and paid fines in the past, Knutson said.

Polson is not alone in the struggle to keep Flathead Lake clean. Every city that pours treated effluent into the lake or contributing waterway will also have to face the stricter EPA mandates. (See related story.)

In October, city officials attended a conference where they learned that the specific anticipated regulations they previously heard from the EPA are not as solid as originally presented, she said.

The EPA originally set July 2017 as the completion date for the new plant construction.