Group explores idea of regional sewer system

SANDPOINT — A group of area economic and governmental leaders have formed a new non-profit organization with the goal of developing a sewer regionalization plan for the greater Sandpoint area.

Facilitated by the Bonner County Economic Development Corporation, the newly-formed Pend Oreille Clean Water Alliance is looking into a regional sewer system that would incorporate the Sandpoint, Kootenai-Ponderay, Schweitzer, Dover and Southside plants, according to BCEDC’s Karl Dye.

“POCWA will look at ways, including regionalization, that we can reduce costs for all the sewer districts and entities and also really protect our water in the lake and river,” Dye said.

By month’s end, POCWA hopes to have its board finalized and be ready to begin meetings. Dye said the group is waiting for Sandpoint to offer a city representative for the board, but the issue is on May’s Public Works agenda and should be settled by the end of the month.

Once fully formed, Dye said POCWA will look to host meeting with experts in the field of sewer regionalization, such as Boise State University’s Environmental Finance Center.

The center works in conjunction with the Environmental Protection Agency on ways to help groups as they face the financial challenges of environmental protection, according to the center’s Web site.

“We’d like to put together a meeting to have them come up and present, along with DEQ, to look at financial options and financial tools, to see what other resources we can bring to bear to really do some good planning and looking at ways we can combine our efforts,” Dye added.

The group has yet to outline specific goals or strategies for the sewer regionalization, and Dye said the board’s formation is only the beginning of the process.

“What we want to end up with is a road map for how to get therei,” he said. “We want to start a discussion and get input from all the entities to figure out what’s the best path to take.”