A perilous path for Flathead Lake
The pristine waters of Flathead Lake are the lifeblood of our community, a cherished natural wonder that defines our way of life and underpins our local economy. Yet, the Lakeside County Water and Sewer District Board appears poised to embark on an ambitious, costly and potentially devastating expansion that threatens to undermine the very water quality we hold so dear.
On July 15 at 2 p.m. at the Lakeside QRU, the board will hold a meeting to consider a staggering sewer rate increase — potentially 60% or more. This proposed hike, scheduled at a time inconvenient for most working ratepayers, is directly linked to an expansion plan that has ballooned from a projected $24 million to an astonishing $58 million. We, the ratepayers and guardians of Flathead Lake, must speak out now and demand transparency and a responsible path forward.
The district’s current trajectory is deeply concerning, and we do not support it. Planning to expand the district to take on all of the waste of some 30,000 individual septic tanks in Flathead County, as well as provide new services to massive new subdivisions, recent scientic reports show will harm water Flathead Lake’s water quality and likely unfairly raise ratepayers’ monthly fees and taxes. This is a profound shift from the district’s historical role, and it raises critical questions about the long-term health of our lake.
For over 40 years, the Lakeside sewer district has played a vital role in protecting Flathead Lake by operating as a focused, small-scale entity. We believe that encouraging the district to focus on being the best small sewer district it can be, continuing its proven track record of staying within its scope, is the most responsible way to protect our environment and our pocketbooks.
Flathead County needs to find another safer location for a facility to handle all the county’s septic waste. And better yet, the county and large new subdivisions need to invest in new technology that turns sewage into energy or treats it to a drinking water standard as the new expandable modular system recently installed at the Yellow Bay Biological Station on the shore of Flathead Lake now does.
Our concerns are not rooted in speculation; they are based on a critical lack of information and questionable decision-making by the district board. Here’s why we urge the board to immediately table this rate increase proposal and provide full transparency.
First, we demand a comprehensive sewer rate, tax and fee study by an independent, qualified consultant, covering a minimum of five to as many as 20 years. This study must clearly show why these increases are justified and, crucially, how many more increases are planned to cover the skyrocketing expansion costs, including all bonding details and the specifics of the $20 million loan announced at the May 20 open house. Without this, ratepayers are being asked to sign a blank check for an undefined future.
Second, the district has failed to produce legally required audits of the district’s finances since 2021. Furthermore, the required annual calculations of charges for services under MCA 7-13-2301, which mandate that rates be reviewed and set annually based on the cost of services, are not posted for public review on their website, despite annual 5% rate increases. This lack of financial accountability is unacceptable for a public utility. Montana law (MCA 7-6-4020) also requires preliminary annual operating budgets that detail revenues and expenditures, categorized by salaries, operations, capital outlay and debt service.
Third, we require copies of the district’s board-approved detailed budgets showing income and expense for the last five years, including 2025, meeting Montana Local Government Act state standards. We also need a five-year capital improvement plan. These essential documents, which should be readily available, are conspicuously absent from the district website.
Fourth, we are deeply concerned by reports that the board recently approved a contract, without ratepayer knowledge, that obligates the district to reserve 50% of its new sewage capacity for a new, exclusive, luxury 400-home/building subdivision on the slopes above Lakeside. This raises serious questions about who the district truly serves and how this preferential treatment will impact the water quality of Flathead Lake and the costs borne by existing ratepayers. We demand to see this contract and a full explanation of its implications.
Finally, we need documents and an explanation for why the district just approved a new and expensive work order for a contractor to complete “development plans” for the district. This appears to be a move to pre-sell all future district capacity to more new subdivisions, potentially overwhelming our infrastructure and exacerbating the threat to Flathead Lake.
The board were not elected to keep secrets. We want the whole truth and nothing but the truth. We want to see for ourselves that decisions are being made based on sound financial information, in the best interest of district ratepayers, and most importantly, in a manner that will truly protect Flathead Lake’s water quality for generations to come.
Join us in telling the Lakeside County Water and Sewer District Board: pause this dangerous course. Stay small, stay focused, and protect our lake. Your signature on our petition at flatheadcitizens.org can help send this vital message.
Mayre Flowers is Citizens for a Better Flathead Board co-chair.