3B. Response to Evergreen Letter dated April 29, 2004,latex & Sewer Distr ct
130 Nicholson Drive • Kalispell, MT 59901
Phone: (406) 257-5861 Fax: (406) 756-1588
April 29, 2004
Pam Kennedy, Mayor
Council Members
City of Kalispell
P.O. Box 1997
Kalispell, MT 59901
Subject: Flathead County Water & Sewer District #1— Evergreen/Additional Sewage
Treatment Capacity
Dear Mayor Kennedy and Council Members:
Enclosed is a copy of a letter, dated January 29, 2004, from Flathead County Water &
Sewer District #1 — Evergreen, to Pam Kennedy, Mayor, and the Council Members of the
City of Kalispell, wherein Evergreen reiterated its concern of the "continued proliferation
of the installation of new on -site sewage treatment and disposal systems in the Evergreen
alluvial aquifer threatening the public health through ground and surface water
contamination."
Further in the letter the District reiterated its position originally communicated to
Kalispell by a letter dated January 11, 2002, copy enclosed, of the District financially
participating in Kalispell's sewage treatment plant expansion costs in exchange for the
District receiving additional treatment capacity.
The purpose of this letter is, in light of the immediate reality of additional private septic
systems being a ved, that the District respectfully requests the Council immediately
address the T ict's re est for additional treatment capacity to avoid the installation of
these priv ms. ygte
Board of Directors
cc: Chris Kukulski, City Manager
Joe Russell, Flathead County Health Officer
water & Sewer Dist,*
130 Nicholson Drive • Kalispell, MT 59901
Phone: (406) 257.5861 Fax: (406) 756.1588
January 29, 2004
Pam Kennedy, Mayor
Council Members
City of Kalispell
P.O. Box 1997
Kalispell, MT 59901
Subject: Comments on Draft City of Kalispell Wastewater Facilities Plan
Dear Mayor Kennedy and Council Members:
Please accept this letter as a statement of our concerns and our desire to
best serve and protect the quality of the various aquifers used and
affected by the wastewater produced in this ever more populated valley.
We believe it is the right time for the City of Kalispell to take the lead in a
more co-operative and collaborative direction. There are compelling
reasons to do so.
What follows are comments of Flathead County Water & Sewer District
No. 1 (Evergreen) regarding the Wastewater Facility Plan that the City of
Kalispell is currently preparing.
The Evergreen Water and Sewer District is the largest customer of the
Kalispell wastewater treatment plant and is keenly interested in any plans
for the expansion of both the plant and its ability to serve, better protect
and somewhat restore the pristine quality of the waters of the Flathead
Valley and the quality of life for all who live here.
One major point to make at the outset is to repeat the position we have
often put forward. The Evergreen Water & Sewer District is interested in
financially participating with the City of Kalispell in the proposed plant
expansion.
We are disappointed that the Facility Plan as written ignores this fact. We
inquired about the City's interest in joint participation in funding the plant
expansion over two years ago. The initial response from both the City
Manager and Public Works Director was positive and promises were
made to discuss the potential for the District's financial participation. The
City Manager and Public Works Director both pointed to the regional
wastewater treatment plants in the Seattle vicinity as good examples of
Page 2 of 3
Letter to City of Kalispell RE: Wastewater Facilities Plan
From Flathead County Water & Sewer District No. 1 (Evergreen)
how well such arrangements can work. No meaningful dialogue has since
taken place.
The City of Kalispell could have chosen to include involvement from the
District and other interested agencies in its current planning effort but
instead seems to have chosen to exclude that and any other relevant
input.
The City of Kalispell, the Evergreen Water & Sewer District and Flathead
County all share the same interests and responsibilities with respect to
wastewater collection, treatment and disposal. These interests, protection
of public health, groundwater quality, and surface water quality, are not
confined to just the City limits or the boundary of Evergreen's sewer RSID.
Instead, they traverse the City and District boundaries and affect all of us.
Continued proliferation of the installation of new onsite sewage treatment
and disposal systems in the Evergreen alluvial aquifer degrades water
quality and threatens public health through ground and surface water
contamination. We need to identify the ways to allow connections of
areas outside the Evergreen RSID to the Evergreen sewage collection
system. Kalispell has the enviable position of being able to take the lead
in addressing the needs of areas in the valley that may be a direct threat
to the aquifers and health of the Flathead Valley residents. We believe
that the best way to achieve this goal is to operate the wastewater
treatment plant as a regional utility.
When the City of Kalispell and the Evergreen Water & Sewer District first
agreed to share the Kalispell wastewater treatment plant almost 15 years
ago, the overriding reason was that one larger treatment plant would be
more efficient and cost effective than two smaller separate treatment
plants. We believe that it still makes sense to work together to identify
solutions to the common problems we both face.
We believe that there is a need to solve problems that cross the
boundaries of the City, the District, and the County. To safeguard public
health and the water quality of the Flathead, the wastewater plant should
be expanded to benefit the entire area, including the City of Kalispell, the
Evergreen Water & Sewer District and other threatened areas of Flathead
County that could reasonably access the wastewater collection system.
To be successful, the planning effort must be broadened to include input
from the District and other interested parties now rather than later. The
planning effort must not be based on political gain, but Kalispell's interest
Page 3 of 3
Letter to City of Kalispell RE: Wastewater Facilities Plan
From Flathead County Water & Sewer District No. 1 (Evergreen)
in not only being the financial center of the Flathead Valley, but the most
willing and responsible participant in the problems of the valley.
We appreciate the opportunity to provide comments to you before the
Wastewater Facilities Plan is finalized. We look forward to increasing co-
operation in the hopes that our joint efforts will indeed produce the
increases to efficiency and cost effectiveness that brought us together
initially. We stand ready to co-operate, both financially and in carrying our
share of the es nsibility of operating a truly regional treatment plant that
is designed Aerated to best protect the quality of our life in the valley.
7Sinc f
a r President
oard of Dire rs
Cc: Chris Kukulski
water & Sewer Dls�rl°� a
130 Nicholson Drive • Kalispell, MT 59901
a Phone: (406( 257-5861 Fax: (406) 756-1588 e
January 11, 2002
Chris Kukulski, City Manager
City of Kalispell
P.O. Box 1997
Kalispell, MT 59901
Re: Kalispell Wastewater Trcacmeui Fian'i Expansion
Dear Mr. Kukulski:
At the recent meeting of the Board of Directors of Flathead County Water and Sewer
District #1 -- Evergreen, board member Connie Leistiko informed the board that the City
of Kalispell is reviewing the possibility of expanding the treatment capacity of the
Kalispell Wastewater Treatment Plant.
As you know from past correspondence, Evergreen is interested in increasing its
treatment capacity presently limited by the Interlocal Agreement with Kalispell.
The purpose of this letter, therefore is to inquire as to whether the City of Kalispell is
interested in any immediate discussions/negotiations with the Evergreen Board relative to
Evergreen's financial participation with Kalispell in the improvements to the treatment
plant in exchange for Evergreen receiving additional treatment capacity.
I thank y,6u (advancy'�or your continued cooperation with Evergreen and look forward
to your /r r