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Westfir council warns water and sewer funds are seriously underfunded; operator certification and NPDES violation add pressure
Summary
Councilors said Westfir’s water and sewer funds lack money for certified operators and contingency; the city has funding for a consultant only through February and is responding to a Class 2 NPDES permit violation while testing samples.
At a Jan. 22 work session, Westfir officials warned the city’s water and sewer funds are underfunded and face immediate staffing and compliance pressures. The city’s consultant arrangement is temporary, the sewer fund receives substantial general-fund support, and the wastewater plant recently drew a Class 2 NPDES permit violation that staff said they are addressing with cleaning and retesting.
“ The sewer fund receives about 40% of its operating costs from the general fund because there are not enough customers to fund the system,” the city recorder said, describing structural shortfalls and the strain those shortfalls place on reserves. Staff reported the current contracted consultant (Max Baker) is expected to be available only through the next two months; the city’s contingency dollars could cover about one additional month, and the council discussed options including accelerating certification for an in-house operator or seeking grants to bridge gaps. The recorder also confirmed that recent wastewater sampling prompted a Class 2 violation and that follow-up samples are scheduled to be tested.
