Water quality groups seek community solutions for managing septic waste

A coalition of leading local conservation organizations has joined forces to launch a community-led search for the Flathead Valley's next large-scale wastewater treatment location.

The group includes Citizens for a Better Flathead, the North Shore Water Alliance and the Upper West Shore Alliance. 

On Tuesday, May 26, from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m., the coalition will host a public presentation at Flathead Valley Community College to kick off a valley-wide "Community Treasure Hunt." This collaborative initiative is designed to empower residents to help identify the most suitable, environmentally friendly site for future septic, sewage, and biosolids treatment.

The event aims to address an urgent and growing dilemma: how to safely manage regional septic waste and biosolids in the face of unprecedented population growth. Instead of relying on a top-down government mandate, organizers say they are turning to the community to crowdsource potential locations that offer the lowest environmental impact and the absolute highest protection for the Flathead’s world-class water quality.

"We are at a critical crossroads for our watershed," said event organizers. "This initiative is about finding a cost-effective, long-term solution that supports our local septic pumping businesses and residents, while ensuring the Flathead Basin remains pristine for our children and grandchildren."

Following this community kickoff, the organizing coalition will formally establish a dedicated, independent task force to transition public site suggestions into a rigorous, professional review process.

To address a challenge of this scale, the coalition is calling on a diverse panel of experts to join the effort, including hydrogeologists, environmental engineers, regional planning specialists, soil scientists, and wastewater utility operators.

The event includes information on why current systems are under pressure, a presentation by the Montana Bureau of Mines and Geology on groundwater and water resources in the Flathead, Mike Koopal of the Whitefish Lake Institute summarizing research from septic leachate studies, a discussion outlining the operational and economic challenges facing septic pumpers, and an interactive session on how citizens can spot potential locations. 

The event takes place in the Arts and Technology Building in room 139. For more information, email citizens@flatheadcitizens.org.