Letter to Mayor and Council re: Heatlh Board Decision Public Comment from Rod Kuntz Aimee Brunckhorst
From: Rod Kuntz <warpathalliance@gmail.com>
Sent: Tuesday, March 3, 2026 3:18 PM
To: Aimee Brunckhorst
Subject: EXTERNAL Letter to Mayor and Council re: Heatlh Board Decision
Follow Up Flag: Follow up
Flag Status: Completed
Hi Aimee,
Please forward the following to the Mayor and Council.Thank you.
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www.youngentrepreneursyndicate.com
warpathalliance.com
406-261-08 1
To:Mayor,Council Members
From:Rod Kuntz,Flathead City County Board of Health appointee
Date:March 3,2026
RE: Septic Regulations
For the past eighteen months the Board of Health has reviewed the Septic Regulations and Construction Standards and submitted their Findings of
Facts and recommendation to adopt them to the County Commissioners on February 24th. In the final stage of the many public meetings some
opposition to the proposed changes arose which has brought a singular issue to the forefront.
To be clear,the Board's decision was not about weakening environmental protection.It was about applying our regulations based on science and the
available data.In an InterLake editorial the former Health officer was quoted as saying that gravity systems"could"lead to creeping—no data,no
science,"could."It is important to acknowledge that pressure dose systems"could"also lead to failures. Also in that editorial it was stated that
property owners had the ability to request a variance(deviation)from the pressure dose requirement which is not true under the current rules.
The editorial states that there is no room for regression,but I contend that following the actual science is NOT regression,nor is it"gutting"the
current regulations.In her written comments to the Board of Health,Mayre Flowers states that"the duty of the board and the commissioners is to put
the interest of all county residents above individual property rights when it comes to protecting water quality in Flathead County."I AGREE,but it is
my duty as a representative of the citizens of Kalispell,and the county,not to stifle,curtail,or place unnecessary burdens on property owners without
compelling scientific data to justify it.
DEQ 4 is a performance-based standard.It regulates outcomes: soil separation,hydraulic loading,groundwater protection.It does not mandate a
specific technology in every circumstance.It is the preferred method,but not the best or only method.Two make pressure dose the only option for
new septic approvals was an unjustifiable mandate.
Pressure-dose systems absolutely have value.They improve distribution uniformity and are appropriate on challenging sites.Where site conditions
require them,they should be used.But the science does not support a blanket mandate on every site regardless of soil suitability.Soil conditions,
loading rates,and vertical separation are the primary determinants of treatment performance.
Properly designed gravity systems remain the most common onsite system nationally and perform adequately when installed within regulatory limits.
Additionally,gravity systems are simpler,less costly,and have fewer mechanical failure points.Reliability matters for long-term environmental
protection,and housing affordability matters to all county residents—current and future.
My responsibility is to protect groundwater and public health while remaining consistent with the regulatory framework. Allowing gravity systems
when they meet DEQ 4 standards accomplishes that.
With respect,my responsibility is to apply the regulatory framework consistently and protect groundwater based on measurable standards.I cannot
support a technology mandate absent clear site-specific scientific justification.
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This is not a political position.
It is a science-based,standards-based position.
I offer this summation as a courtesy to the council as it seems to be a contentious topical concern and I want you all to be clear on what has
transpired,and why I voted as I did(along with the majority of the Board). It is a moot point to try and change the Board's recommendation as it has
already been forwarded to the Commissioners and I will not debate the issue further without knew scientific data to rely on.If that data does come in,
it would likely come from DEQ and under the proposed revised standards,it would be adopted.
If you have any questions please reach out.
Thank you for the opportunity to serve.
Rod Kuntz
406-261-0893
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