Wilsall Water District

Spring 2023 Update

A lot has changed since 2020! Covid, supply chain distruption, and inflation have changed the cost and scope of our project, but we are finally starting to see some action! This spring construction will begin on our new water plant. We were lucky enough to secure more grant funding from ARPA in the past year. This enables us to continue with the treatment plant, but even with the funding increase, it was not enough to complete any improvements in the distribution system. Those portions of the project will eventually happen as we find more funding, but the treatment plant is our priority. We expect the new plant to be finished and working before the end of the year! It has been a very long haul for those of us working with the district, and we are grateful for your continued support and interest. Please join us at the monthly water board meetings for more specific information about the project. Meetings are every 2nd Tuesday of the month at the Wilsall Senior Center at 7:30 pm.

*FALL 2020 UPDATE

The Wilsall Water District has been working hard to improve the water treatment system. After a thorough study, no alternative source of clean water has been found in the volume necessary to supply the town. The DEQ has issued an administrative order requiring us to bring our water system into compliance with current regulations.  The most efficient way to do this is with a new treatment plant.     *The district has been awarded funding that will cover 85% of the estimated project cost. But, the new system will be expensive, and the district and its users have to come up with the difference. Therefore, rates will need to be increased. We are doing everything we can to keep costs down. Besides securing $2.82 Million in grant funding, we are evaluating treatment options in more detail to ensure the most cost effective, long term solution is implemented.    *The district will be working with Frontier Water Systems this fall to conduct a pilot study for their NiteHAWK system to determine treatment effectiveness and to better estimate the cost of a full-size system. We are exploring all options to get the best deal and anticipate a construction start in spring 2021. The district is working closely with the DEQ, USDA, state funding agencies, and Great West Engineering to see that we get you the safest, cleanest, best tasting water by the most cost effective and practical means.

To learn more, please come to our monthly meetings - Every 2nd Thursday of the month at 7:30pm in the Wilsall Senior Center.

Please direct all billing-specific questions to 406-223-1804.

Why is this happening?

Our wells have come under the influence of surface water, and we raised the chlorine level in order to keep the water safe to drink, but that was only a temporary fix. Our team of engineers and hydrologists tried to find the district another source of water but the only bodies of under ground water accessible would eventually be influenced by the same contaminates. It seems that the only promising option is to install a treatment plant that will deliver extremely clean water, and therefore, requiring the very little chlorine (the MT DEQ enforces a minimum level of chlorine to ALL water systems).