Murky waters

Storm runoff puts Whitefish sewer system in jeopardy

Whitefish homeowners who divert stormwater runoff into the city sewer system are putting the city in jeopardy of violating state environmental laws, Whitefish Public Works Director John Wilson said.

The problem of overflow stormwater has gotten so bad that Wilson this week kicked off a public-education campaign aimed at explaining city laws on sewer hookups.

It's a simple concept: Wastewater goes into the sewer; stormwater goes elsewhere - preferably into the storm drainage system.

"Unfortunately, in a number of new homes," roof drains and sump pumps are being connected to the city sewer system, he said. "The first two weeks of January we had lots and lots of water flowing into the sewer."

It's difficult to quantify the exact amount of extra water going into the system, Wilson said, but inline flow meters pinpoint the trouble spots. New construction in the Texas and Colorado Avenue areas, Creekwood Estates and Riverside at Whitefish have aggravated the problem; so have more clear-water connections from older homes in eastside neighborhoods, Wilson said.

"It's something we've been meaning to address," he said. "In a lot of cases, [runoff water] can be redirected into yards instead of the sewer system."

The city hasn't fined anyone yet.

Wilson is hoping a little public relations will go a long way.

But if not, the city code is clear.

Illegal connections of roof downspouts, exterior foundation drains, area drains or other sources of surface runoff or groundwater can't be connected to the sewer.

It's a misdemeanor that carries a maximum fine of $500 for each day of violation.

Whitefish has a vested interest in keeping sewer-flow volumes at a manageable level. Runoff water can overwhelm the system, wasting treatment capacity and leading to overflows that can pollute Whitefish Lake, Whitefish River and local streams. If that happens, Whitefish is subject to both state and federal fines.

In 1995, the city struggled with inflow problems to the point where the state ordered a moratorium on new sewer connections until the city completed requirements of an administrative order. Part of the order was a plan to handle stormwater runoff problems.

"We paid large fines to the Department of Environmental Quality, removed all of the street drains and many roof drains from the sewer system and added a surge basin to accommodate peak flows at the wastewater treatment plant," Wilson said in a letter circulated to local contractors, plumbers and homeowners.

"The situation was manageable for many years, but the problem is returning, and leaking basements and crawl spaces with pumps discharging to the sanitary sewer are largely to blame."

Homeowners with questions about stormwater connections can contact the Public Works Department at 863-2460 or e-mail publicworks@cityofwhitefish.org.

Features editor Lynnette Hintze may be reached at 758-4421 or by e-mail at lhintze@dailyinterlake.com