ABOUT FORT SMITH WATER SEWER DISTRICT
The Fort Smith Water and Sewer District is classified by the Montana Department of Environmental Quality (MTDEQ) as a community water and wastewater system located in the small, rural community of Fort Smith Montana. The District provides water and sewer services to the users within the Fort Smith WSD boundaries.
History of Water System – The Fort Smith water system was constructed in 2011. The system is served by 3 groundwater wells, disinfected by chlorine injection before being introduced into the distribution system where it is either delivered to customers or to an elevated 200,000-gallon tank for future use. No other treatment is required. The distribution system is comprised of 6” and 8” main lines, with fire hydrants distributed to provide coverage and access for all customers.
History of Sewer System – Currently the District has two separate wastewater collection and treatment systems, the Fort Smith System and the Yellowtail System, separated by MT Highway 313. The systems were built during separate developments over 50 years ago as the community was formed. The Yellowtail System is a gravity collection system primarily comprised of 4-inch Vitrified Clay Pipe (VCP) and a single lagoon pond. The Fort Smith System is a gravity collection system comprised of VCP and utilizes a series of eight large steel septic tanks for primary treatment before discharging to a single community drain field. The District is currently working to replace the previous sewer system with a new sewer collection and treatment system.