Growing population prompts Kalispell City Council to explore wastewater, biosolids options

Kalispell City Council will review Monday options for upgrading the city’s wastewater treatment facility and new biosolids disposal methods to keep up with a growing population.  

The city's treatment plant is running efficiently, but an increasing population and uncertain future for its current disposal method warrants facility expansion and disposal alternatives, a city-commissioned report found.  

Officials hired water engineering consulting firm AE2S to conduct the study. During Council’s Monday night work session, the firm will present its findings. 

Council convenes Dec. 9 at 7 p.m. in City Hall, 201 First Ave. E.   

Projecting a yearly average population growth of 2.5% over the next 20 years, the report determined that expanded infrastructure is needed to manage the waste that comes with growth.  

In 2022, the city disposed of 765 tons of dry biosolids. Using that figure, the report projected that by 2044, the city would be disposing of 1,260 tons annually.  

Biosolids, otherwise known as sewage sludge, are generated from treating wastewater. Currently, 70% of the city’s biosolids are sent to Glacier Gold Composting and the rest is sent to the Flathead County Landfill. Composted biosolids can enrich soil and replace commercial fertilizers, according to the Environmental Protection Agency.   

By 2018, the city was nearing Glacier Gold’s delivery capacity, according to the report. And Glacier Gold recently alerted the city that it will be closing its facility in Olney. 

“Although Glacier Gold has been a consistent and reliable partner to the city, they may close their doors at any time, provided that they give the city one year of warning before no longer accepting solids for disposal,” read the report.  

The Kalispell Advanced Wastewater Treatment System “needs to expand its capacity limits beyond existing composting and disposal alternatives and increase the reliability of their solids disposal system,” read the report.   

Costs range from an estimated $6.8 million to over $20 million. The report recommends accessing low-interest State Revolving Fund loans or using bonds and adopting the cheapest alternative of disposing biosolids, which entails adhering to new landfill standards.

A COUNCIL subcommittee will also convene for the second time to discuss funding potential projects through a sidewalk and trails assessment district. 

Consisting of Councilors Ryan Hunter, Jed Fisher and Chad Graham, the subcommittee previously met Oct. 21 to discuss priority projects that an assessment district would tackle.  

 The subcommittee identified sidewalk replacement and installation, trails construction and maintenance, Americans with Disabilities Act intersections and traffic control as points of interest. Hunter vied for protected bike lanes as another undertaking to add to the list.    

City Manager Doug Russell is expected to present what the cost estimates will look like for each general priority project.  

Reporter Jack Underhill can be reached at 758-4407 and junderhill@dailyinterlake.com.