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Project Overview
The water and wastewater system in Lolo has reached full capacity and no new connections are allowed. Additionally, the existing infrastructure has deficiencies that need to be addressed to ensure long-term reliability. The proposed improvements aim to resolve these deficiencies while also creating additional capacity for future growth.
If improvements are made without adding capacity to the system or allowing for additional connections, the estimated project cost is $7.5 million, which would be funded solely by the existing 1,350 users, resulting in an average monthly cost of $70.50 per connection. The $70.50 is aContinue reading
Project Overview
The water and wastewater system in Lolo has reached full capacity and no new connections are allowed. Additionally, the existing infrastructure has deficiencies that need to be addressed to ensure long-term reliability. The proposed improvements aim to resolve these deficiencies while also creating additional capacity for future growth.
If improvements are made without adding capacity to the system or allowing for additional connections, the estimated project cost is $7.5 million, which would be funded solely by the existing 1,350 users, resulting in an average monthly cost of $70.50 per connection. The $70.50 is a combination of operating costs and capital improvement costs. By designing the improvements to accommodate growth, the estimated cost increases to $9.1 million, but at least 200 new connections are expected within two years, generating an estimated $2 million in connection fees.
With a larger pool of users, the projected average monthly cost drops to $57per connection. Only69 new connections are needed to break even lowering the average monthly costs to $70/month—any additional connections beyond that further reduce costs for existing users. If all 400 connections are allocated to development, the estimated average operating and capital costs for the average user is estimated to be $31/month.
These early estimates are engineering estimates, and final pricing will be based on contractor bids. Federal funding requests have been submitted to Congress, which could help offset these estimated costs. Additionally, state funds and loan forgiveness may also be available.
The improvements to the water and wastewater system require input from RSID 8901members before any decisions are made. Providing feedback during the public engagement process ensures all perspectives are considered.
Current System Challenges
Water System Deficiencies: If Well No. 3, the largest well, were to fail during peak demand, the system would struggle to provide enough water.
Wastewater System Deficiencies: The treatment plant lacks redundancy—if a critical component like the bioreactor or secondary clarifier fails, managing sewage would become a serious challenge.
Proposed Improvements
The planned improvements include:
Upsizing Wells No. 1 and No. 2
Upsizing a key water main
Adding a redundant bioreactor and secondary clarifier
Installing a new force main
By making these improvements, the system will support an additional800 new wastewater connections and 400 new water connections, ensuring Lolo’s infrastructure is prepared for the future.
Public Feedback
The County is seeking public feedback to help determine whether to proceed with the creation of the RSID. Members of RSID 8901have the final say on the proposed improvements through a protest process. Comments can be left below.
Project Timeline
Public hearings for the creation of a new RSIDare expected to be completed by the end of July 2025. Engineering and construction could begin soon after, with an estimated project completion timeline oftwo years. Public meeting dates will be posted on this page when confirmed.
Key Documents
Preliminary Engineering Reports (PERs) are available for review.
There will be two open houses on Tuesday, April 22 and Tuesday, April 29 at 4-7 p.m. at the Lolo School, in the atrium next to the gym entrance.
Representatives from Missoula County, the Lolo Water and Wastewater RSID and HDR will be there to share information and listen to feedback from members of the community. Residents are encouraged to drop by any time during those hours to talk to officials about the project. There will be no formal presentation.
Share your comments to help inform the decision-making process.
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What reserves are available to pay for some of these updates? My understanding is that funds have been collected for replacement and improvements as part of the tax bill and not to all solely be allocated for operations. Lolo in general is opposed to growth and in general is not representative of Missoula as a city - much closer to our neighbors to the south. In my opinion, the brunt of any improvements/additions should have been born by the recent development (missed opportunity – knowing that this was coming and with limited connections – the cost of such should have gone up, that’s the market) and additional at an increased rate - baked into future development hookups (if the growth is forced down our throats), which could be a deterrent to growth and is certainly okay. Recognizing that general upkeep needs to be addressed to avoid catastrophe, but a transparent look at reserves over time is needed. From there, let's put it to a vote of the stakeholders – those that are paying for this service versus the Commissioners, many of whom we do not feel represent Lolo or our best interests in general. If faced with two options, I would rather pay the higher amount per household to keep Lolo the size it is today (the $7.5M option – with no additional connections – but I am not convinced by the presentation so far that the repairs and minor upgrades cannot be accomplished for less to not include the 800 WW & 400 Water connections), so neither on the table in general have my full endorsement. There are many items on our tax bill that there is little to no benefit to those in Lolo ie: the bus service tax. The difference – this is something that is actually needed water/sewer, however we do not have to recommend the growth option. Figure out a way to maintain the current water/sewer system within the means available and rather than collecting feedback that is historically ignored, let’s put it to a tabulated vote of stakeholders.
Lolo
9 days ago
Thanks for putting this out. Looking forward to the meeting. This situation has been coming for a long time so it’s not a surprise to me. I’m curious to learn how the RSID would be formed. Thanks again. I appreciate the information.
What reserves are available to pay for some of these updates? My understanding is that funds have been collected for replacement and improvements as part of the tax bill and not to all solely be allocated for operations. Lolo in general is opposed to growth and in general is not representative of Missoula as a city - much closer to our neighbors to the south. In my opinion, the brunt of any improvements/additions should have been born by the recent development (missed opportunity – knowing that this was coming and with limited connections – the cost of such should have gone up, that’s the market) and additional at an increased rate - baked into future development hookups (if the growth is forced down our throats), which could be a deterrent to growth and is certainly okay. Recognizing that general upkeep needs to be addressed to avoid catastrophe, but a transparent look at reserves over time is needed. From there, let's put it to a vote of the stakeholders – those that are paying for this service versus the Commissioners, many of whom we do not feel represent Lolo or our best interests in general. If faced with two options, I would rather pay the higher amount per household to keep Lolo the size it is today (the $7.5M option – with no additional connections – but I am not convinced by the presentation so far that the repairs and minor upgrades cannot be accomplished for less to not include the 800 WW & 400 Water connections), so neither on the table in general have my full endorsement. There are many items on our tax bill that there is little to no benefit to those in Lolo ie: the bus service tax. The difference – this is something that is actually needed water/sewer, however we do not have to recommend the growth option. Figure out a way to maintain the current water/sewer system within the means available and rather than collecting feedback that is historically ignored, let’s put it to a tabulated vote of stakeholders.
Thanks for putting this out. Looking forward to the meeting. This situation has been coming for a long time so it’s not a surprise to me. I’m curious to learn how the RSID would be formed.
Thanks again. I appreciate the information.