The city of Sandpoint is seeking a $130 million bond to completely renovate its wastewater treatment plant. The plant has numerous parts that are over 50 years old and past their usable life, according to city officials. 

The bond will be repaid through utility rate revenue and will indebt the city for the next 40 years. According to the ballot measure, the expected indebtedness that the city will accrue over the 40-year period will total $257,285,000. 

If the bond passes, utility rates in the city will rise around 106% over the next five years, if the bond does not pass, utility rates will increase by around 600% in that timeframe.  

The city says that the bond will allow staff to pursue grants and low interest loans. Idaho has awarded a $38 million loan to Sandpoint, dependent on the project’s continuation. Sandpoint Mayor Jeremy Grimm said that the city has not secured any federal funding. 

The ballot measure states that funds from the bond will consist of "construction, repair, replacement, rehabilitation, acquisition or upgrade of facilities, equipment and systems related to the system to address permit compliance and aging infrastructure."

The ballot measure lists several improvements that the city will use the bonds for, ranging from improvements to the treatment processes to new administration buildings at the plant. The measure allows the city to use bond funds for any projects identified in the city's 2025 Wastewater treatment plant improvements Preliminary Engineering Report.

The renovations to the plant will take place in phases, the city said construction will start in summer 2026 and take approximately five years.