MCCALL, Idaho — Solutions are in the works to fix a wastewater pond in McCall after it was discovered leaking into Lake Cascade.
About a mile west of McCall, sits a recycled water pond that was built in the early 2000’s. It holds 268 million gallons of treated water, and is used for irrigation. However, that pond has a liner that is damaged, and is now leaking water from the pond, to the North Fork of the Payette River, which then trickles into Lake Cascade.
David Watkins, who is an engineer with J-U-B engineers and the project manager for this pond, said the problem with that is the water contains phosphate and nitrogen, and even though those nutrients are in small amounts, they can cause build-up in Lake Cascade over time.
“There’s also a lot of sediment that is building up in the Cascade Reservoir,” Watkins said.
The solution – Watkins said – is a $2.9 million project to replace the damaged liner in the pond with a new one. McCall voters will vote on that, as a part of a bigger election bond that will include other sewer improvements, in May 2025.
“The DEQ does have regulations, so the district would run into violations if they don’t do something,” Watkins said.
If it doesn’t pass, Watkins said the District will need to pay for the $2.9 million project through reserves, because ultimately, it needs to be fixed.
“The liner leaks beyond what the state allows,” Watkins said.
The project is a part of the Payette Lakes Recreational Water and Sewer District Master Plan, which Watkins orchestrated. It’s goal is to account for growth in McCall for the next fifty years – and suggest improvements – like the liner replacement to the pond.
McCall residents can learn more about the project at a public hearing on Nov. 21 at the Legion Hall at City Hall at 5:30 p.m.