SEELEY LAKE - The self-created mission for the sewer district clearly establishes why the board’s current proposal is so out-of-line. The statement introduces itself appropriately: “to assist the community in determining the need and cost for a centralized sewer system.” But, from that point on, the goals and subsequent board actions headed in a different direction.
Rather than establishing NEED by developing a plan for a comprehensive study and analysis of environmental factors, the board settled for doing some water testing on FEWER SITES and NOT IN LOCATIONS RECOMMENDED by the Montana Bureau of Mines and Geology. As a result, there is raw data for three wells in Sub-districts 1 and 2. No comparable testing at all was ever conducted to determine conditions relating to Sub-districts 3 and 4.
Results from two wells document NO CRISIS in the ground water for nitrates: Baptist Church SD #1 site average- 4.86mg/l, Polaris SD #2 site average- 4 mg/l.
A third well has produced erratic data regarding nitrates, including six tests that exceeded the 10 mg/l drinking water standard interspersed with tests of lesser concern: Lindey’s SD #2 site average – 7.53 mg/l. No documented efforts have made to analyze the import of the limited raw data of concern or to attempt to determine why one site’s results were dramatically different from the others. Sound science does not operate this way.
As far as chlorides are concerned, neither the state nor federal environmental agencies have developed a standard like the one for nitrates (in drinking water). Instead they suggest concern when rates go over 250 mg/l. Not a single chloride test result from any sewer district data raises concern.
Further, the board has engaged in no testing to determine whether there has been growth in the volume of algae or weeds in the lake. Likewise, no efforts have been made to determine what other possible influences might be impacting the lake, or how, or to what degree the lake may be imperiled.
The Missoula County Health Department, the Seeley Lake Sewer Board and the noisy “Environmental Saints” from outside the sewer district have blinders on when it comes to rationally defining a multitude of issues. Citizens, property owners or not, are left being stuck with so-called leaders whom we need to count on to be rational. In contrast, they have become obsessed with a sewer and dazzled with grant funds even though they have never properly measured or defined a problem.
Emotional cries, like those of Chicken Little, do nothing to ensure environmental or physical health. Comprehensive, legitimate studies offer that opportunity.
We are part of a dynamic watershed; studies need to address its entirety. And, all property owners, users and lovers of our environment need to be responsible for underwriting the costs any necessary remediation requires.
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