Bigfork Water and Sewer District (District) manages a vast water system of about 132,000 feet of distribution pipes, four wells, and five storage tanks. This system delivers about 560,000 gallons of clean, safe water to our customers daily.

We also manage a sewer system consisting of more than 195,000 feet of pipes. This system transports wastewater from homes and businesses across Bigfork to be safely treated and disposed of, protecting your health and safety.

To fund essential projects and operations, the Bigfork Water and Sewer District is proposing updates to its water and sewer rates. Learn more about the proposed rate adjustments below.

Investing in Every Drop: Water and Sewer Rates Support Bigfork’s Future

Our Priorities

Conducting regular rate studies is an industry best practice that utilities nationwide follow to ensure their water and sewer rates are fair and can support reliable service. While conducting our most recent rate study, we kept the following goals in mind:

  • Conservation: We created a rate structure that encourages conservation and smart water use.

  • Equity: Our goal is to ensure everyone pays fairly for the demand they place on the system.

  • Revenue Stability: We aim to remain financially stable so the District can continue providing reliable service for generations.

Your water and sewer rates pay for more than just the water that flows from your tap or washes down your drain—they’re an investment in the complex systems that will continue to provide our community with reliable water and sewer service for generations. To ensure the District can continue to provide you with the high level of service that we currently do, we’re investing in critical infrastructure projects, including:

  • Water System Expansion: We’re extending water mains to keep up with our growing community’s demands.

  • Improvements for Reliability: We’re replacing undersized and aging pipes to ensure our water system can continue delivering water every moment of every day.

  • Sewer System Rehabilitation: We’re rehabilitating part of the sewer system to meet current and future community needs and minimize the risk of overflows and backups. This project will protect our community’s health and safety, as well as the environment, by keeping wastewater where it needs to be: in the pipes.

  • Wastewater Treatment Facility Upgrades: We’re expanding our wastewater treatment facility and replacing a few key pieces of infrastructure to ensure the sewer system can keep up with increasing demands as our community grows.

Investing in Our Water and Sewer Systems

About The Proposed Rates

Water Rates

The District is proposing changes to our water service rates based on a comprehensive rate study conducted by independent consultants. This study took a deep dive into our future costs for providing water services, using detailed technical analyses, projections of revenues and expenses, and a careful look at our current and future financial health. The study recommended adjusting how we charge for water and what we charge to ensure a fair, sustainable rate structure.

Your water bill is made up of two main components:

  • Base Charge: This part of your bill is based on your water meter. Regardless of usage, this charge remains consistent each billing period within a given year.

  • Volumetric Charge: This charge is based on the amount of water you use and follows a tiered rate structure. Under this model, the cost per gallon increases as usage rises, encouraging conservation and ensuring that high water users are charged fairly for the system’s additional capacity needs.

Sewer Rates

The proposed sewer rate adjustments will ensure the District can continue to invest in our sewer system. Investments are critical to keeping up with our community’s growing demands while continuing to protect public health and safety. The rate study recommended adjusting what we charge to ensure we can make those critical investments. If the proposed rates are adopted, sewer rates will increase for every customer.

How The Changes Will Affect Your Monthly Bill

If adopted, new rates will become effective July 1, 2025. Each year after that, beginning on July 1, 2026, we’ll make annual adjustments. The examples below show how the changes might affect different metered District customers based on usage.

Examples of Three Bigfork Water and Sewer District Customers With ¾” Meters With Different Usage and Anticipated Impacts on Their Monthly Bills

Customer 1
2,000 gallons of water and 2,000 gallons of wastewater

Monthly increase of $12.69

Customer 2
10,000 gallons of water and 4,000 gallons of wastewater

Monthly increase of $16.04

Customer 3
126,000 gallons of water and 7,000 gallons of wastewater

Monthly increase of $12.90

Understanding The New Fees

Plant Investment Fees are a one-time fee assessed on new development. The District’s Plant Investment Fees will help fund our growth-related water and sewer system updates, ensuring we can meet our community’s growing demands. The rate study examined the District’s Water and Sewer Plant Investment Fees to ensure that new development pays for the expansion that’s necessary to serve new customers. After analysis, the study recommended that we increase these fees for both water and sewer. A new structure (development) on a ¾” or smaller meter will pay $7,368 to be connected to the water system and $14,729 to be connected to the sewer system. Developments on larger meters will pay a proportionally larger amount.

Frequently Asked Questions

  • The District periodically reviews water and sewer rates through a comprehensive rate study, a best practice that ensures our rates align with community needs and financial requirements. This study, conducted with independent experts, helps us keep rates fair while planning for necessary future investments.

  • Our Capital Improvement Plan includes critical projects, such as expanding our wastewater treatment plant and replacing aging pipelines, to ensure reliable service. Regular maintenance and critical infrastructure projects are costly but necessary to keep our systems running smoothly.

  • Rates were calculated through a water and sewer rates study, which assessed all operating and capital costs and examined customer water usage patterns to distribute these expenses proportionately among all customers based on water use and wastewater flows. This ensures that the rates meet the cost of providing service to each customer.

  • We worked with an independent expert, a consulting firm called Raftelis, to conduct the most recent rate study. Raftelis conducts rate studies for utilities across the United States and has extensive experience applying industry best practices. We chose to work with an independent firm to ensure our rate structure is reliable and equitable and that we can continue providing safe, high-quality water and sewer service long into the future.

  • For more information about the water and sewer rate study, please call Tyler Hantz, Assistant District Manager, at (406) 837-4566 or email thantz@bigforkwater.com.

Proposed Fees and Charges

Bigfork Water and Sewer District provides reliable water and sewer service to about 1,500 customers. Our team works tirelessly every day to maintain and upgrade equipment, test water quality, follow regulatory guidelines, and manage the costs of chemicals and electricity to ensure service you can count on 24/7.

The District worked with an independent consultant to ensure our rates only increase as much as they have to, not a penny more. Our proposed rates are pictured below.

Click the images below to view larger versions.

Water Rates

(Above) Base Water Charges: This charge is based on your water meter size and remains consistent, regardless of usage, each billing period within a given year.

(Above) Volume Water Charges: This charge is based on the amount of water you use and follows a tiered rate structure. Under this model, the cost per gallon increases as usage rises.

(Above) Fireline and Construction Hydrant Charges: This fee helps pay for water infrastructure to fight fire.

Sewer Rates

(Left) Sewer Charges: This charge covers the cost to provide sewer service.

*For flows that exceed the allowance for each meter size.

(Above) Sewer Charges: This charge covers the cost to provide sewer service.

*For flows that exceed the allowance for each meter size.

Plant Investment Fees

(Above) Water Plant Investment Fees: Paid by new developments to hook up to the system, helping fund expansions to keep up with additional demand.

(Above) Sewer Plant Investment Fees: Paid by new developments to hook up to the system, helping fund expansions to keep up with additional demand.

Additional Proposed Fees

Water and sewer customers may experience some additional fees on their utility bills, depending on the circumstances. Fees may include:

  • Water Late Fees - The District is proposing an increase from $2.50 to $12.50 per month.

  • Sewer Late Fees - The District is proposing an increase from $2.50 to $12.50 per month.

  • Water and Sewer Service Turn-on/Turn-Off Cost - The District is proposing a $25.00 charge to support this service.

  • Check for Leak/Data Log Fee - The District is proposing a $25.00 charge to support this service.

  • Door Tag Fee for Non-Payment - The District is proposing a $5.00 charge to support this service.