TOWNSEND — Townsend’s iconic water tower has overlooked the city—and stored the city’s water—since 1958, but soon it will be put out of commission. A new, multi-million-dollar water system will be put online this summer. It’s something the city budgeted $14 million for, and city officials say is needed, but residents are worried about the implications.
(WATCH: Townsend's new water system raises resident concerns)
Parts of the city’s water system date back to the mid-1950s. Water is supplied by three wells, and according to a preliminary engineering report for the new water system from 2022, if the largest well is out of service, the others cannot meet the city’s maximum water needs. That could set up a situation where water pressure drops so low that it can create “a negative pressure event allowing contaminants to enter the distribution system, compromising the health and safety of all water system users.”
“We do have an aging system and inadequate water storage,” Mayor Vickie Rauser said.
Additionally, the city’s current 200,000-gallon water tank does not meet the Montana Department of Environmental Quality’s minimum water storage requirements. The new tower will store at least 1.25 million gallons of water to meet DEQ’s requirements now and into the future.
“While you can always kick the can down the road a little farther, sometimes the road runs out,” Rauser said.
The new water system will increase water pressure, and that could be a problem, especially for older homes. In a city founded in the 1880s, there are a lot of older homes.
“The scariest thing for me with the new water tower is the unknown,” Townsend resident Amanda Stiles said. “We don’t know if our pipes are going to burst, we don’t know if our appliances are going to withstand this new pressure.”
In March, the city sent a flier out to residents notifying them of upcoming water pressure changes. According to the flier, the new system will be tested in June. Prior to that testing, the city recommends residents locate their water shut-off valve and curb box, check their water pressure, get their plumbing inspected and install a pressure-reducing valve. A number of those recommendations cost money.
Larry Gibson lives on a fixed income. He said he was quoted between $400 and $800 to install a pressure-reducing valve at his home.
“It’s a pretty big hit on my budget and my savings,” Gibson said.
After the system begins operating, the city suggests residents check their water pressure again and monitor their homes for leaks.
“We’re supposed to listen for these sounds of the pipes rattling,” Stiles said. “As me, not a plumber—I’m a stay-at-home-mom—how do I know what sound is correct?”
The new water system has been in the works for years. Discussions started back in 2021 after a fire in Denton burned homes and properties in the city, and the water system was unable to support firefighting needs.
“Our mayor at that time came to city council and said ‘this is what happened in Denton, I believe we are at risk as well,’” Rauser said.
That led to a preliminary engineering report, which was finalized in May 2024. It pointed out inadequacies in the town’s water system.
The city has budgeted $14 million for the new water system, and funding comes from several sources, including ARPA funds and more than $12 million in bonds through the DNRC Drinking Water State Revolving Loan Program. Rauser said one of those bonds, totaling $5 million, will be forgiven when the program requirements are met. The other bond, totaling more than $7 million, will have to be paid back. The city approved a water rate increase in 2024 to service that debt.
“The increase in the water rates and all of that, that’s not on the city council,” Gibson said. “Previous city councils over the last 30 years have known that we’re under-watered, we didn’t have enough. The water tower up here isn’t enough to cover the town’s growth, and if we had a major issue—a major fire or something—we might be in trouble.”
The water system plan has gone through multiple levels of the public process, including discussions in city meetings and public hearings. But some residents say they didn’t know about the water system project until it was already happening. Stiles said she first learned about it when she saw the tower getting built about a year ago.
“Had I known how much this could affect my home and our community’s homes as a hole, I would have gone two years ago to see why we need a new water tower and how our systems would be affected,” Stiles said. “I would have completely been involved a long time ago.”
Rauser said the city follows state statutes for public notification for cities of Townsend’s size. She said notices are posted on the city hall door, on the city’s website, and on social media. Notices are also published in the city’s newspaper of record when required by law.
While the city’s website includes past council meeting minutes, agendas and some notifications, other documents—like the water system plan, for example—must be requested from city hall.
“Right now, our website is minimal, and it’s not costing the city taxpayers very much to maintain that website,” Rauser said.
The city will have to change its website in the near future to meet new federal requirements, and that new website could include more information on it; it’s something the city council will consider. But when it comes to the city’s water system, the changes are more immediate. Testing of the system will happen in June, and the system is expected to start operating in August.
