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Townsend Council Hears Residents’ Concerns About Water Pressure Changes
Author: Rachael Brug, Staff Reporter

Townsend Council Hears Residents’ Concerns About Water Pressure Changes

Rachael Brug

Staff Reporter

Townsend City Council members approved prior meeting minutes and heard a detailed 2025 water and wastewater system review Tuesday night before turning to an extended public discussion about the city’s ongoing water system project, upcoming pressure changes, and what costs may fall to individual homeowners.

The April 21 meeting opened with routine business, including approval of the April 7, 2026, minutes. The council then welcomed engineer Jim Beck, who presented graphs and observations from the city’s 2025 water supply and wastewater records.

2025 system summary: meters, lagoons, and low-flow concerns:

Beck told the council that the city’s well data shows inconsistencies tied to metering issues. He said the meter on Well No. 1 appeared to function only in December, showing zero for much of the year despite the well being used. He also flagged data suggesting the measuring device on Well No. 3 may overstate pumped volumes. Because the city’s annual totals are calculated from those meters, Beck said it can be difficult to know exactly when the combined totals are accurate.

On the wastewater side, Beck said measurements at the lift station and lagoon outlet have tracked closely since newer measuring devices were installed several years ago. He noted occasional spikes and dips that may be linked to timing differences in when daily readings are taken, or unusual discharges that were not documented at the time. He also pointed to a late-summer divergence between the lift station and lagoon outlet lines that he attributed to evaporation.

Beck also reviewed monitoring of the river side channel during low-flow periods in July through early October. He said the most critical period is typically July and August, when flows can cycle due to releases from Madison Dam. During one late-August stretch, Beck said the river was low enough that cyclical spikes did not bring water into the side channel, raising questions about how reliably water moves through that channel during certain low-flow conditions.

While Beck emphasized that the city’s permit does not require flow through the side channel, he said the city has an interest in being “good citizens” and avoiding being caught unprepared if regulators raise concerns during permit review. Beck suggested the city consider contingency planning, including learning from how the Montana Ditch manages similar side-channel issues.

Public discussion: project costs, funding choices, and homeowner impacts

After Beck’s presentation, Mayor Vickie Rauser noted the council had received public communications about the water system, including a letter in the meeting packet and other recent messages. Several residents then asked the council to respond directly to concerns about the project’s cost and how the impacts are being communicated.

Rauser said the city began addressing water system deficiencies in 2022, when it asked Robert Peccia & Associates to prepare a preliminary engineering report. She said the report identified two key issues: inadequate storage and low water pressure in parts of town.

Rauser told residents the city’s existing water tower in Memorial Park holds 200,000 gallons, while the Department of Environmental Quality recommendation for Townsend is 1 million gallons of storage to support fire response and maintain service to critical facilities. She said the city held public hearings during the engineering report process and that the report and notices are available for public review.

Residents questioned whether the city pursued all possible funding options, including federal earmarks, and asked whether developers should have been required to contribute more toward system upgrades. Rauser said the city applied for grants it was eligible for and received funding through the state revolving fund program, which includes loan forgiveness. She said the city expects to repay up to $7,195,000, depending on final project costs.

Councilmember Peter Simon said much of the public concern centers on costs that may be borne by homeowners “from the curb stop in.” He said that under municipal ordinance, plumbing from the curb stop to the home is the customer’s responsibility. Simon said not every home will be affected, but older plumbing may be more susceptible to leaks or failures when pressure increases.

Pressure increase and what residents may need to do:

During the discussion, residents asked what the new pressure level will be and whether the city can reduce it to avoid damage. City officials said the system is expected to run around 75–78 PSI. PSI stands for pounds per square inch, a standard measure of water pressure.

Eric Crusch, public works, said the city has consulted other communities that have completed similar tower projects and that while weak links may be discovered—such as galvanized pipe—he is not “overly worried” about widespread failures.

Residents raised concerns about the cost of installing pressure-regulating valves and whether additional equipment, such as expansion tanks, may be required. Councilmember JB Howick said the valves being made available locally are not check valves and do not prevent backflow into the municipal system, meaning expansion tanks are not required for that specific setup. He added that plumbers may recommend different configurations depending on a home’s plumbing.

Several residents emphasized that many households do not know the condition of their service line between the curb stop and the home, and worried about the cost of repairs if leaks occur underground.

Communication and assistance efforts:

Multiple residents criticized the timing and reach of city communications, saying many people do not use social media or may overlook bill inserts. Rauser acknowledged the challenge of reaching all residents effectively and said the city is considering additional education materials, including basic guidance on locating shutoffs and understanding curb stops.

Councilmember Vivian Boaz said she lives in an older home herself and understands the anxiety residents feel. She said the council has tried to share information quickly through the channels available, but noted the city has limited staffing and that council positions are part-time.

Howick said local efforts are underway to help residents who may not be able to afford needed upgrades. He said Townsend Hardware is providing pressure regulating valves at cost, and he has approached Rotary and Rocky Mountain Development Council for help identifying and supporting fixed-income and low-income residents. Howick said Rotary is working through its process to determine how many households it can assist, while also trying to ensure aid goes to those most in need.

Councilmembers also discussed other possible community partners, including Helping Hands and the food pantry, as potential ways to identify vulnerable residents and provide targeted assistance.

Timeline and testing:

Residents asked whether the city could delay the project to allow more time for preparation. Councilmembers said delays could increase costs due to contractor remobilization and raised concerns about financial obligations tied to project financing.

Crusch said pressure changes will not happen all at once. He said the new tower is expected to fill gradually, with monitoring during the process, and then be drained back down after initial testing. He said the system is expected to come fully online later in the summer.

Rauser encouraged residents to contact city staff for help locating curb stops and said the city maintains a list of local plumbers. The council closed the discussion by reiterating that officials are also residents facing the same rate increases and uncertainty, and that the city will review rates again once final project costs and debt levels are known.