Supporting a Stronger Water System in Whitefish
A picturesque town in Flathead County, the fastest growing county in Montana, is proactively addressing its growth by completing infrastructure improvements. The City of Whitefish is situated near Glacier National Park and is a year-round tourism destination thanks to skiing, snowboarding, hiking, and boating. The City has also experienced post-pandemic population growth.
Meeting Today’s Needs While Planning for Tomorrow
Whitefish receives its water from a treatment facility located on the north side of the community. As demands on the system increased, existing infrastructure serving the southern portion of the City began approaching capacity limitations. While the system continues to meet regulatory requirements, City leaders recognized the need to increase storage capacity and improve water pressure and flow performance during peak demand periods and emergency situations.
AE2S is helping Whitefish take a proactive approach to securing its water future through a multi-phase infrastructure project designed to improve water storage, system pressure, and system resiliency for decades to come. The project includes a new water tower, transmission pipelines, new fire hydrants, and a future booster pump station that together will strengthen the City’s water distribution system and ensure residents have dependable service when they need it most.
AE2S and the City of Whitefish developed a comprehensive, phased solution. The recently completed first phase included approximately 3,000 feet of 18-inch water main with several large utility bores beneath U.S. Highway 93. Future phases will add additional transmission infrastructure and a three-pump booster station capable of moving water in multiple directions throughout the system. At the heart of the project is a new water tower that will provide critical storage capacity and operational flexibility for the community.
Navigating Challenges Through Experience
Like many infrastructure projects, the water improvements have faced unique challenges. One of the earliest hurdles was identifying a suitable location for the new water tower. Water towers must be strategically placed to maximize system performance, but finding a site that balanced engineering needs, community preferences, and land availability required extensive evaluation. After exploring multiple alternatives, the project team ultimately selected a City-owned property that minimizes visual impact that could detract from the area’s natural beauty while meeting operational requirements.
Additional complexities have included securing easements for future pipeline phases, coordinating with stakeholders, and managing construction costs in a rapidly changing market environment. Extensive geotechnical investigations needed to be performed during project development due to the complex geology of the Flathead Valley.
Understanding Whitefish’s unique soil conditions allowed the team to more accurately prepare foundation designs and construction documentation. The additional effort provided bidders with greater certainty and ultimately helped reduce foundation costs while creating value for the client.
KEY TAKEAWAYS
Planning for Growth and Reliability
Whitefish is making a proactive investment in its water infrastructure to ensure residents and businesses have reliable service as the community continues to grow. The project will improve water storage, pressure, and system performance for years to come.
A Long-Term Solution Built Through Collaboration
Since 2016, the City of Whitefish and AE2S have worked together to plan and implement a phased approach that addresses current challenges while preparing the water system for future needs.
Strengthening the Community’s Future
The new water tower, transmission pipelines, and future booster station will enhance resiliency, increase operational flexibility, and help ensure the community is well-positioned to meet future demand and emergency situations with confidence.
“Ultimately, this project addresses flow, pressure, and storage challenges with one coordinated solution. It’s a long-term investment that improves resiliency while helping the City maintain reliable service for years to come.”
More Than a Design, It’s a Full-Service Partnership
AE2S has partnered with the City of Whitefish on this effort since 2016. Over the past decade, the team has worked closely with City leadership and staff to support every stage of the project, including planning, funding strategy, regulatory coordination, site evaluation, engineering design, construction administration, and ongoing consultation.
According to Alan, the project’s success has been built on strong relationships and open communication. “We’ve built trust with the City’s leadership, public works staff, and decision-makers,” he said. “That trust allows us to have meaningful conversations, solve problems together, and focus on what’s best for the community.”
Looking Ahead
For the City of Whitefish, this project is about more than infrastructure. It’s about ensuring residents, businesses, visitors, and future generations have access to a resilient water system that can support the community’s continued growth while maintaining the quality of life that makes Whitefish such a special place.
The improvements will strengthen system resiliency, increase storage capacity, and provide greater flexibility during periods of high demand or emergency response. Just as importantly, they position the community to meet future needs with confidence.
AE2S is excited for the City of Whitefish as this vision becomes reality and look forward to seeing the positive impact these improvements will have on residents for years ahead.