City looks to wastewater expansion

Boulder officials have begun preliminary planning for a wastewater system upgrade likely to result in further water rate increases, in addition to the hikes coming in May.  

The city’s existing wastewater treatment system, which received an environmental award in 2017,  currently serves around 1540 people, which is not far from its capacity of 1590. Boulder has 1,305 residents, according to data from the Montana Census and Economic Information Center, but its wastewater facilities serve a couple hundred outliers. 

“The need to expand the wastewater treatment facility is necessary now to some extent,” said City Administrator Brian Bullock. “We know a few things that need to be replaced or expanded upon to maintain efficiency and flexibility throughout the whole treatment process.”