BONNERS FERRY — The city’s wastewater treatment plant received a clean sheet from the Idaho Conservation League after committing zero discharge violations for the third year in a row.

ICL’s Central Idaho Director Josh Johnson said Bonners Ferry’s plant is the model example in the Idaho panhandle. The treatment plant is one of 56 in Idaho that did not commit any violations last year, according to the report by the ICL.    

"We try to call out the facilities that are doing a really good job that have no violations in 2024 because that’s really impressive,” Johnson said. “They had no violations in 2024 as well as in 2023, that’s a really good thing.”  

The Bonners Ferry plant outperformed its closest neighbor Sandpoint significantly, with the Sandpoint facility committing six violations in 2024, two more than in 2023. While Sandpoint did not exceed its load over limit on average, Johnson said that the violations can still cause concern. 

“We wouldn’t expect those violations to have had a noticeable impact on the local water quality,” Johnson said. “In that case it’s just making sure that these facilities are following the permits and the law to make sure we don’t have a bigger issue down the road."  

The Bonners Ferry plant’s continued success aligns with the state’s progress, which has been moving toward less facilities committing violations every year. 

For the first time in the report’s eight-year history, the ratio of facilities that committed zero violations and one or more violations is around 50:50. With 13 plants joining the list of those who did not commit a violation last year. 

According to the report, 12 facilities accounted for two-thirds of the 474 violations in Idaho with the Preston and Driggs plants accounting for close to a fourth of all violations.  The worst plant statistically was Rexburg’s, which exceeded its load over limit significantly, dumping over 53,000 pounds of pollutant over the limit in the Teton River. 

In the report, the ICL says that for communities with violation-free wastewater plants that citizens should contact local legislators to express support and thank them for maintaining a high-quality wastewater treatment facility. 

“We want to give those communities the proper kudos for having a perfect record,” Johnson said.