Kalispell Adopts Updated Plans for City Water, Wastewater, and Stormwater Facilities
The plans include recommended future operational and capital improvements for the facilities and adds them to the city’s new land use plan
By Zoë Buhrmaster
Kalispell city councilors approved a trio of new facility plans, updating the city’s assessment and development plans for the city water facility, wastewater collection system facility, and the advanced wastewater treatment plant facility. Councilors also formally integrated all three plans along with the 2025 stormwater facility plan into the city’s new land use plan, which the city adopted earlier this year in accordance with the Montana Land Use Planning Act (MLUPA).
The water plan maps out existing water rights and water use patterns, along with projecting future water needs and evaluating the performance of the existing water distribution system. After assessing the quality and risk of the water mains, it requires laying out a plan for capital improvements for infrastructure as needed.
The plan notes that water demand has remained relatively stable in recent years, at around an average of 4 million gallons per day, though it anticipates that the average daily demand will increase to 6 million gallons with future development. The city is already constructing two new booster stations and well improvements in each of the city’s pressure zones. Additional storage and a new well supply in each zone will likely be needed in approximately 15 years.
For the city’s wastewater collection system and treatment plan facilities, the plan includes recommendations to upsize specific sections of the gravity main along with modifications to several lift stations to meet future wastewater flows.
“We have a facility that is really strong, but that was built in the ’90s,” Councilor Kyle Waterman said. “I thought the plan really spelled out what we’re looking for in some clarity about regulations, but also just some ways that we just keep moving forward, especially as we’re a growing city.”
Mayor Ryan Hunter said he would be interested in looking into the city completing an energy audit in the future through the Bonneville Power Administration to increase energy efficiency and potentially receive grant funding to help with future capital projects.
“A plan identifies the needs,” Hunter said. “What we’re doing is identifying the need. It doesn’t commit us to the funding, that comes through budgets or through the rate increases in the future as we’re looking at the needs and what we need to afford … this plan just identifies what those projects are.”
The three plans passed with councilors’ unanimous approval.