The Public Works Department

The City of Colstrip Public Works Department provides many of the basic services that affect the daily lives of all the residents who live and work in Colstrip. Primarily, the department is responsible for all administration, planning, maintenance, and construction management of the city’s infrastructure. These are divided into four specific areas.

The first is the Water Treatment Plant and the distribution system. The Water Treatment Plant processed 217 million gallons of finished water in 2020. The distribution system includes maintenance of over 22 miles of water mains, 224 fire hydrants, and two water storage tanks with a combined capacity of 2.5 million gallons.

The Sewage Treatment Plant treats around 75 million gallons of wastewater a year. Incidentally, most of this treated water is used for irrigation purposes at Ponderosa Butte Golf Course. The sewage collection system includes the maintenance of over 23 miles of sewage mains and seven sewage lift stations.

Maintenance and continuing renovation of the twenty-three miles of streets include plowing snow, striping of streets and crosswalks, traffic signing, stormwater manholes, inlets, crack sealing, and patching of streets.  The city provides solid collection, used oil recycling, and twice-weekly pickup for all residential customers.

The Public Works Department is currently staffed with six (6) employees under Pat Zent, Public Works Director. The city’s annual public works operating budget is approximately 4 million dollars. Operating funds are derived from a number of sources, including water and sewer utility charges, general fund revenue, and state reimbursement revenue.