Chester Water System
For over 60 years, Chester has received its water by its own system of water intakes at Tiber Reservoir, 20 miles of pipeline to Town, and water treatment plant. Chester’s water system users (you) pay for the costs of operation, maintenance, repairs, upgrades, and employees by your water bills.
Chester’s water system is aging. The Town’s engineer estimates that the cost of work needed is around $896,406/year spread over several years not accounting for inflation to keep it operational, reliable, and compliant with State and Federal regulations.
NORTH CENTRAL MONTANA REGIONAL WATER AUTHORITY
In 1999, the Federal Government settled a lawsuit with the Chippewa Cree Tribe that resulted in the funding and oversight of a Water Treatment Plant at Tiber Reservoir and infrastructure that supplied drinking water to the Rocky Boy Reservation (the “Core System). The NCMRWA was formed by its members as an interlocal or “co-op” to connect to the WTP to supply water to its members like Havre, Loma, and other members in the region (the “Non-Core System.”)
WHAT DOES THIS MEAN?
he Town of Chester is considering whether to continue using its current Tiber Reservoir intake, pipeline to Chester, and treatment plant or become a member of NCMRWA which would pipe water to the Town via NCMRWA’s own system.
Either option requires significant financial commitment from all of us and will affect us for at least 50 years.
RATES
Your elected Town Councilmembers currently set your water rates based on the cost of pumping, treating, and delivering water to each user.
If the Town decides to become a member of NCMRWA, then your water rates will be determined by all of the NCMRWA members including Chester based on the cost to deliver water to each member. The Chester Town Council will then add an additional rate based on the cost to bring the water from NCMRWA connection to each user in Town.
Below is the current rate and estimated rates based on using 6,000 gallons per month. The water rate comparisons are only estimates. The engineers have estimated these rates using what is available to them.
|
OPTION |
ESTIMATED RATE |
|
Current Rate |
$47.81 |
|
Estimated Rate with NCMRWA |
$57.86 |
|
Estimated Rate with current system repairs |
$171.16 |
Current Rate: Monthly Base Rate of $32.81 plus $2.50/ 1000 gal = $47.81 / month average.
Estimated Rate with NCMRWA: Monthly Base Rate of $39.70 plus $3.03/1000 gal = $57.86 / month average.
Estimated Rate with Current System: If Chester makes all needed repairs and upgrades, Monthly Base Rate of $117.46 plus $8.95/1000 gal = $171.16 / month avg.
