Empowering approach to water quality issue of the decade
Whitefish Pilot | UPDATED 3 weeks, 3 days AGO
The Flathead Valley’s accelerated population growth has come with an increased challenge to our sewage treatment plants and the septic systems that spread, just below the surface, across the valley floor. Those drainfields may be out of sight, but they should not be out of mind. A poorly functioning septic system contributes to the degradation of the lakes and rivers that enrich our lives.
With an estimated 30% of the county's 50,000 septic systems over 50 years old, and roughly 20% thought to be failing, managing regional waste is the defining water quality issue of our decade.
The recent community presentation by Citizens for a Better Flathead, Montana Bureau of Mines and Geology, and the Whitefish Lake Institute on May 26 provided a critical, eye-opening look at the severe infrastructure burden facing our valley.
That is why the coalition's "Community Treasure Hunt" is such a timely, forward-thinking idea. By combining local knowledge, including individuals passionate about protecting Flathead Lake with critical input from local water quality hydrogeologists and environmental engineers and others, we can transition away from high-risk expansion scenarios near Flathead Lake and other sensitive water bodies. This community-led search allows us to evaluate treatment technologies while identifying locations with the absolute lowest hydrological risk to our shared water resources. It is an empowering approach to regional environmental planning.
The presentation by Citizens for a Better Flathead, Montana Bureau of Mines and Geology, and the Whitefish Lake Institute's septic risk model laid an incredible foundation for this search. For those who were unable to attend the event, the work is ongoing. I highly encourage you to visit Citizens for a Better Flathead’s website, https://www.flatheadcitizens.org, for links on how to get involved or give them a call at 406-756-8993 to learn more and discover how you can participate in this essential grassroots initiative.
Joseph Biby, Kalispel