Sewer…

In December of 1988 Lakeside County Sewer was placed into operation to serve the sewage disposal needs of the town of Lakeside and surrounding area residents. The primary objective of developing the system was to reduce public health hazards and nutrient loading into Flathead Lake. The Lakeside County Water & Sewer District (LCWSD) operates and maintains a wastewater collection system for the community of Lakeside, several lift stations, an aerated-lagoon treatment facility, a land application facility, and a seven-mile long force transmission main between Lakeside and the treatment site. The majority of the system was constructed in 1988. The District also provides treatment and land application of wastewater from the Somers collection system.

Conveyance Line (Transmission Main)
All wastewater from the Lakeside and Somers collections systems and intermediate small collection systems is transported to the treatment site through the District’s existing conveyance line. The line consists of four lift stations connected by a 10-inch polyethylene force main and sections of 12-inch PVC gravity mainline. The force main begins at the north end of Lakeside at Lift Station #5, extends along Highway 93 around the northwest corner of Flathead Lake, through the town of Somers, and on to the wastewater treatment facility. The total length of the conveyance line is approximately 36,000 feet (6.8 miles) including approximately 33,200 feet of 10-inch force main and 2,800 feet of 12-inch gravity main.

Lift Stations
The original Lakeside collection system included 13 lift stations. Of those, five (Lift Stations #1 through #5) are located along the conveyance line. The remaining eight (Lift Stations #6 through #13) are in low lying portions of the collection system, predominantly along the lakeshore. Since the original construction in 1988, several more lift stations serving small developments along the conveyance line have been added to the system, including Lift Station #1A in Somers. These lift stations are needed to pump wastewater from those collection systems into the District’s conveyance line. Included are lift stations at the State Fish Hatchery, Cherry Hills, Best View Estates, White Oak Lodge, Southside Town Homes, Marco Bay, and the Somers Bay Condominiums.

Treatment Facility
The existing treatment facility is located approximately one mile north of Highway 82 and one mile east of Highway 93. The facility consists of two 2.5-acre aerated treatment lagoons and two larger storage ponds for winter storage of treated effluent. Disposal of the effluent is accomplished through a slow rate land application (irrigation) system on a 160-acre field located northwest of the lagoons.

Technical Advances
We are always striving for better ways to protect you and our environment from wastewater contamination. In 2007 a new computer-based internet monitoring system was installed. Operators can now monitor the pumps at our lift stations from their homes, if need be, many times avoiding a problem in the early stages.

In the fall of 2008, a computerized maintenance program was installed to document the District’s assets and create a schedule for maintaining those assets.

In the summer of 2010, a GIS map of the District was completed showing all the wastewater and water utilities and where they are in the ground. All of our paper drawings are now in one digital map – easy to access, and properly recorded for years to come.

Water…

LCWSD currently operates and maintains four water systems – the Lakeside System, Troutbeck Rise/Lakeside Estate System/Spurwing, Cherry View System, and South Eighty System.

The Lakeside Water System was acquired from Bill Brass in 1997. In 2017 the Troutbeck Rise/Lakeside Estates/Spurwing Water Systems were combined with the Lakeside Water System to provide increased storage, well capacity, and backup power for the means of fire protection. The Lakeside Water System now consists of five wells and two above-ground storage reservoirs. Groundwater is pumped to the reservoirs and then gravity fed to consumers.

The Cherry Hill and Mission View Water Systems were acquired in 2010 and 2011, respectively. On January 10, 2014 the two systems were combined to form the Cherry View Water System. This water system consists of one 176,000-gallon storage tank and four wells.

In 2015 the LCWSD took over the South Eighty Water System. This system currently services 29 residences with the potential to service an additional 21 undeveloped lots within the subdivision. In 2017 a new well was drilled as part of the upgrades needed to bring the system into compliance. A new pump house and water lines were installed to create three pressure zones in 2018.

In 2009 we installed sensors in all wells so we can monitor them on a daily basis. We hired a hydrologist to perform and monitor a drawdown pump test of our largest well for 72 hours. This test provided valuable data that revealed a very solid performing aquifer with plenty of good, clean water. We have now had fourteen consecutive years of monthly, bacteria-free tests to back that up.

Water is routinely monitored for constituents and meets or exceeds all established State and Federal standards. Water quality reports are available at the LCWSD office or on this website under “Notices”. It is pure well water – nothing added.

We hope you will continue to enjoy a clean glass of water on us!