Welcome to sacoinfrastructure.com. The purpose of this website is to keep the community informed about Saco’s ongoing efforts to upgrade the Town’s water and wastewater systems. Over the next serval months, the website will be updated to provide the latest information about regarding the water system upgrades and grants that the Town is developing with the assistance of Great West Engineering of Helena. The Town is also proceeding with wastewater system upgrades using state and federal grants secured since 2022.
For water system upgrades, as of March 2025, Saco is applying for EPA Thriving Communities funding for an alternatives analysis and report, a pilot study and engineering design services. This initiative addresses a “significant deficiency” identified by the Montana Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ). DEQ has determined Saco’s drinking water contains manganese levels that exceed both the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) secondary maximum contamination level (MCL) and health advisory limit. The high level of manganese and the sequestering agent also impact the Town’s disinfection capabilities Manganese is listed by the EPA as an “emerging contaminant” because, at elevated concentrations, it can lead to adverse cognitive and neurological effects, especially in children.
For the wastewater improvements, the Town was awarded an American Recovery Plan Act (ARPA) grant by the state to complete Phase 1 wastewater improvements in the Town. The Phase 1 improvements include upgrading the lift station, replacing sewer pipes and manholes, and removing sludge from the lagoons. A Phase 2 project was identified in the 2022 wastewater PER and is fully funded by MCEP, DNRC-RRGL, and CDBG grants to complete collection system improvements including replacing the main under Highwaty-2 and the railroad.
The website will include regular project updates and provide the community a method to ask questions and comment on the project. The most recent project documents and public meeting information will also be available for viewing. The community’s input and support are essential to the success of Saco’s mission to provide a reliable, safe, and compliant wastewater system that meets the Town’s needs. So please, check out the website periodically, leave a comment or question, and view the most current project documents.