Board scraps Paradise sewer project; assures water is safe

More than a decade ago, a representative of an engineering company reportedly came to town with ominous warnings about the sorry and deteriorating state of Paradise drinking water.

Action was urgently needed, the rep told several people, because the water was already at or approaching unsafe to drink levels due to leaking septic tanks and other forms of ground water pollution.

At least one elderly couple were so worried by the warnings that they began hauling water from a roadside fountain two miles down Highway 200.Those rumors sparked creation of what became the Paradise Sewer Board, whose original intent was to develop a plan to halt the alleged degradation of of the water supply. Out of that, interestingly enough, the company that issued the original warnings was chosen to design and bring a proposed $4.5 million sewer project to this tiny unincorporated town six miles southeast of Plains.

Costs of such a system and who pays for it quickly sparked a mini-revolution among a majority of town folk, most of whom said the planning process was done without public input as required by law. They also decried fees that would be assessed against their fellow residents.

Soon white and red lettered signs saying simply “no sewer” began to appear up and down the tree-lined streets. Meetings held by the Sewer Board often without most of the town even knowing about when and where the meetings were being held attracted more and more opponents and proponents.

A recall election removed two of the Board members who were pro-sewer, a process that eventually led to a solid majority of sewer foes on the Board.

Proponents warned of opportunities lost in regard to federal funding grants and other sources that would help pay for the system. The water, they claimed was in peril and not acting to protect it would be disastrous.

Rumors began circulating of pollution time bombs lurking just below the surface.

That all came to a screeching halt this past Monday evening when the Board voted to move on amid assurances the drinking water was not only safe but of unmatched quality.

“We have the best drinking water in the state of Montana,” proclaimed Board member Terry Caldwell. “There are no Buicks leaking oil buried in the ground and contaminating our water”.

Caldwell and Board President Jane McFadgen both assured the large group who came to the meeting that efforts to protect the town’s underground drinking water well would continue.

And, McFadgen said, there are and will be help available for those who need upgrades or improvements on their existing septic systems.

“The County Commissioners tried to take the people out of the mix,” McFadgen said. “The panel of just three people, only one of whom was from this Board was trying to do that, but this Board has control over the proposed project. And we will still be here to help and listen to what the people want”.

Chad Thompson, a project manager and technical assistance provider with the Midwest Assistance Program, also told the crowd that “funding is out there”, something proponents of the project have claimed was in peril if action was not taken to proceed with work on the proposed sewer project.

“There is funding out there,” McFadgen agreed. “And we know how to get it if needed”.

With that, and following some public comments about what happens next with the sewer board and the project itself, the Board prepared to move on with assurances that ground water will not be harmed.

“The water system we have now has been in use for more than 100 years and it's the best water in the state of Montana,” Caldwell said. “In over a century we haven’t seen any problems with the drinking water and there’s no reason to think it will change in the next 100 years”.

Efforts to monitor the ground water and well water will continue, Caldwell added.

And before gaveling the meeting to adjournment, McFadgen told those in attendance that despite rumors, the Sewer Board was not going anywhere.

“Where to we go from here?,” she mused. “The Board will not be disbanding. We will be here to help people anyway we can.”