The city of Whitefish has been approved for three State Revolving Fund (SRF) loans worth a combined $20.1 million to upgrade its wastewater treatment technology and meet more stringent standards for treating ammonia and other nutrients.
The city’s wastewater collection and treatment system has over 58 miles of sewer main and 16 lift stations, portions of which are more than 100 years old, according to state and city officials. Despite a series of modifications over the past 35 years, much of the system is at the end of its useful design life. The facility has struggled in recent years to meet new treatment standards for ammonia and will have difficulty meeting new limits for nitrogen as the community expands and demand increases.