Paradise secures sewer funding

Paradise, a place of extreme beauty, pleasure and delight. Without proper sewage disposal, Paradise just can’t be paradise. Fortunate for residents, the current sewage disposal practices are about to get a $3.27 million makeover.

According to Sunny Chase, Paradise Sewer District board member, every residence in Paradise is on their own septic system, and many were built around 1910.

“When systems go bad, it means there needs to be a replacement,” Chase stated. “There is no room for replacement, because the lots are too small.”

Chase commented that Sanders County Commissioners agree that Paradise is a community in need of a city sewage system. “Commissioner Carol Brooker has helped us see the desperate need for this and encouraged us to get moving” sooner rather than later.

The board formed three years ago and has been hard at work. The project currently has all the funding and contracts set in place to embark on a multi-million-dollar project. If everyone upholds their end of the bargain, Paradise will soon have a top-notch wastewater disposal system.

“We are purchasing property for a drain field and treatment plant,” Chase said. The board is working on two possibilities. Their first choice had looked promising, but then fell through, and the second property doesn’t quite seem to fit what is required for a quality wastewater disposal site. Being that the first property is the most ideal for the drain field and treatment plant, they are continuing negotiations in hopes of securing it.

Most of the project will be funded through a U.S. Department of Agriculture Rural Development program grant totaling $1.69 million. An additional $750,000 was awarded by Treasure State Endowment Program (TSEP), $450,000 from a Community Development Block grant and a loan was taken out for $376,000.

Three Montana communities received grants to upgrade their water and sewage infrastructure. In addition to Paradise, Scobey will receive $507,000 to replace cast iron water pipes that were installed in 1919 and Stillwater County attained $1.45 million to upgrade their wastewater treatment facility, which will include disinfectant and treatment systems to improve Rosebud Creek’s water quality.

“Clean water is key to any community’s health, especially in rural Montana,” U.S. Sen. Jon Tester commented. “This money will help Montanans maintain the integrity of their water systems and provide a lasting investment in their communities for years to come.”

Paradise also has a water district that just upgraded the town water system by installing new meter and chlorination systems. The water tank is on the radar for repainting in the future.