Wolf Creek to break ground on new wastewater system

A ceremony next week will begin work on a community wastewater system for the town of Wolf Creek.

The 11 a.m. event will be held May 22 at the fire hall, located at 310 Recreation Road, in Wolf Creek.

The public is invited to attend and share in the achievements of the seven-year effort to get the project developed and built. Refreshments will be served.

Wastewater disposal in the town is handled by individual septic systems. When one fails, there is often not be enough room to install a replacement drainfield. Another issue that has plagued residents of the community is maintaining the required distance between drainfields and wells that supply homes and businesses with drinking water.

The $3.4 million project comes after the community formed a water and sewer district in 2007 with the goal of providing a community wastewater system to residents of the unincorporated town.

Aside from initial project development costs of slightly more than $20,000 borrowed from the state Board of Investments INTERCAP program, the sewer district was awarded a $100,000 grant from the Montana Department of Natural Resources and Conservations Renewable Resource Grant and Loan Program, a news release stated. Also helping to fund the project is a $750,000 grant from the Montana Department of Commerces Treasure State Endowment Program; three federal grants provided through the Energy and Water Development and Related Agencies Appropriation Act (WRDA) in 2009, 2012 and 2014 that together amounted to $718,130, which are administered by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Omaha District. A grant and loan package totaling nearly $1.9 million from the U.S. Department of Agriculture Rural Development Program.

Town residents are moving ahead with plans to have the community receive the state designation of a resort area that will allow it to collect up to a 3 percent sales tax on luxury items. The sales tax has been discussed as a way to help residents reduce the new monthly costs they will face for a sewer system.

The tax rate and portion of the year that the tax would be in effect has yet to be formally decided although preliminary discussions have indicated a desire to have the tax in place when tourists are passing through the community. Also to be resolved is whether town residents will vote in support of the designation and the taxing power that comes with it.

The contract for construction was awarded to NW Construction Inc. of Bozeman and is to be substantially completed in 180 days.

The project, as designed, consists of the construction of the new wastewater collection system with approximately 5,955 feet of gravity sewer main and 29 manholes, along with the construction of a new lift station and wastewater treatment facility, and a new treatment plant, the news release noted.

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Wolf Creek to break ground on new wastewater system