City crew works to fix broken water main
EMILY MESSER | Hagadone News Network | UPDATED 4 months, 2 weeks AGO
An excavator clears the way for crews to access the main line during last week's water main break. (Ashley Walker/Courtesy of City of Polson)
Emily Messer joined the Lake County Leader in July of 2025 after earning a B.A. degree in Journalism from the University of Montana. Emily grew up on a farm in the rolling hills of southeast Missouri and enjoys covering agriculture and conservation. She's lived in Montana since 2022 and honed her reporter craft with the UM J-School newspaper and internships with the RMEF Bugle Magazine and the Missoulian. At the Leader she covers the St. Ignatius Town Council, Polson City Commission and a variety of business, lifestyle and school news. Contact Emily Messer at [email protected] or 406.883.4343 | January 13, 2026 9:31 AM
Last Tuesday afternoon, as daylight whittled away, a water main broke on Skyview Lane in Polson, leaving a minimum number of people affected.
The Polson Water and Sewer Department responded quickly and adjusted valves to restore water for most residents, Ashley Walker, Polson Public Works director, said. According to the city website, crews secured the Skyview, Mission View, Ridgewater and Cougar Ridge areas on Jan. 6.
Walker said as of last Wednesday morning, only one resident was without water, and the crew was working to resolve the issue. He was unsure what caused the water main to break, but thinks it could have been due to ground movement from the varying temperatures Polson has seen over the last few weeks.
Walker said on Wednesday, Jan. 7, the main was repaired, and water was restored to all customers in the area.
ARTICLES BY EMILY MESSER
Non-stop rainfall causes flooding in the Mission Valley
All the reservoirs are either “close to restriction or full,” according to Flathead Indian Irrigation Project manager Nick Belcourt, who has been coordinating the efforts to transfer water into the natural drainages to help with flooding mitigation as continuous rainfall floods the Mission Valley.
Polson Commission votes to change meeting time, approves new workers comp carrier
After a suggested joke about changing the meeting time, during its meeting May 18 the Polson City Commission unanimously approved the first reading of an ordinance changing the meeting time from 7 p.m. to 6 p.m. to better accommodate staff and the public.
Mission Town Council hires temporary clerk, donates back to the community
The St. Ignatius town clerk, Amberly Walker, submitted her resignation and will serve her last day on Thursday, May 28, leaving the town to find a quick solution.