Water District Under Fire In St. Marie
Residents of St. Marie on the dilapidated grounds of the former Glasgow Air Force Base in Valley County have reported urgent issues with the administration of water services by the North Valley County Water and Sewer District, which oversees water and sewer in the community. NVCWSD customers report alleged lack of water testing, mismanagement of funds and targeted instances of service shut-offs. A St. Marie Rural Fire District board member told the Northern Plains Independent that services have been interrupted without timely billing or adequate explanation. Residents also report failures by NVCWSD to meet testing standards for reporting to the Montana Department of Environmental Quality. Attempts to reach NVCWSD General Manager Terry Kolpin have been unsuccessful.
Montana DEQ Public Policy Director Rebecca Harbage told NPI that water quality testing in St. Marie has been problematic. “Yes there have been some issues with their water supply,” said Harbage. “They have received several violations from DEQ this year for failure to monitor and report monthly bacteria samples and chlorine residuals. These and other violations have been referred to DEQ’s enforcement program for action.”
Harbage said the water supplied to St. Marie is likely safe. “At this time, there are no health advisories or boil water advisories in effect,” she said. “Incoming water is already treated to meet the requirements of Montana water supply laws and the federal Safe Drinking Water Act.”
St. Marie residents told NPI last week that NVCWSD was in danger of having the water supply for the community shut off entirely by provider Dry Prairie Rural Water Authority over nonpayment. At press time July 22, a spokesperson for Dry Prairie confirmed significant non-payment issues with NVCWSD, but said the account was close to current following recent collection efforts.
Additional non-payment and compliance issues were raised in a July 17 letter written by Valley County Commissioner Mary Armstrong, addressed to Infrastructure Specialist Lindsey Siebrasse with the Montanan Department of Commerce. The letter outlines reporting and compensation problems with NVCWSD’s Community Development Block Grant contract for system improvements completed October, 2023.
“The [Montanan Department of Commerce] conducted a virtual monitoring visit on November 7, 2023,” wrote Armstrong. “During the visit, MDOC requested warrant sampling for the Montana Coal Endowment Program requests for reimbursement, which the District has yet to provide. Additionally, the District’s Unique Entity ID expired on February 16, 2024, resulting in non-compliance with the Department of Natural Resources’ American Rescue Plan Act and Renewable Resources grants that are co-funding the water project.”
Armstrong went on to detail attempts to communicate with officials in St. Marie: “The County, along with all funding agencies, consultants and contractors, have made numerous attempts to support the District in these matters, but the District has not responded.”
In a July 19 letter addressed to the commissioners and NVCWSD, Great West Engineering project manager Greg Lukasik wrote, “An additional major concern expressed by the funding agencies is that the District has not been paying invoices using the funds received from the funding agencies in a timely manner. Our records show that there is an outstanding amount of $23,501.90 owed to Great West, which has been reimbursed to the District by the funding agencies but not paid. Some of these invoices are 9 months past due, which is a violation of the grant agreement signed by the District and violates the MCA.”
