AMCE news

Current Projects

Flathead Lake Biological Station – AMCE is working with the Flathead Lake Biological Station on upgrading their wastewater treatment system. The wastewater treatment options considered compliance with existing and projected treatment standards, necessitating installation of a new treatment plant capable of removal of conventional pollutants, pathogenic bacteria and ammonia. Completion of this project will include a new equalization tank, screening building, a state of the art Membrane Bioreactor Package Plant, upgrades to the existing influent & effluent lift stations, and solids handling storage tanks.

Whitefish Wastewater System Improvements Project – The $21M Aerated Granular Sludge mechanical treatment facility was completed in November 2021 and is currently in startup. Process Performance Testing will commence in 2023 once the biology has become established and the plant has reached its target pollutant removal levels. Currently the Contractor is building a pumping station to move treated biosolids to drying beds for final dewatering and storage.

Montana State Hospital Wastewater Treatment System – AMCE is working with the Montana State Hospital on upgrading their wastewater treatment system. The project is currently under construction with an anticipated completion date during the middle of 2023. The new facility includes 2 new precast concrete buildings housing treatment equipment. The equipment includes but is not limited to a rotary screen, aeration blowers, ultraviolet disinfection, non-potable water pumps, & an air compressor for plant air. A new lift station will pump raw wastewater into 3 aerated treatment lagoons followed by a polishing reactor. The new treatment facility will be capable of removing conventional pollutants, pathogenic bacteria and ammonia.

Alberton Water Supply System Improvements Project – The team at AMCE provided significant upgrades to the distribution system, including replacing mains that did not meet current design standards. The Town of Alberton owns and operates a municipal water system with two separate groundwater sources and large quantities of treated drinking water were lost due to poor system control. These upgrades saved water, chemicals, energy and money.

Big Mountain County Sewer District Wastewater Collection System – The Big Mountain Sewer District’s I&I Mitigation project was completed October 7, 2022 and is currently in the one-year warranty period. During 2023 snowmelt, additional flow measurements will be made and compared to those recorded prior to the project to determine the level of I&I reduction.

Missoula Biosolids Compost Project – AMCE is preparing for the City, a study that evaluates numerous composting technologies and will provide recommendations on which technology will be the most cost-effective and lowest risk with regard to odor generation. It is expected that a new composting plant will be built during the 2024 construction season.

Biomass Study & Beneficial Effluent Reuse Study – AMCE will be working with the City and its TrEND team to determine the fate of the poplar farm and how to repurpose the property for some other form of agriculture. The hybrid poplars are in their 10th season of an expected 12-14 year expected life span. Harvest of the trees is likely to occur in 2023 or 2024 once an alternate crop and land management strategy has been derived by the collective.

Completed Projects

Alberton: Disinfection & Controls – The Town of Alberton’s drinking water system is supplied by a natural spring source and a groundwater well, neither with proper disinfection. During periods where the spring source could not provide adequate water, the Town operator would run the well source manually. In 2020, AMCE implemented a telemetry control system that automatically ran the well pump when demand exceeded supply. AMCE also added flow monitoring, safe & effective disinfection to both sources and replaced vital infrastructure to enhance system dependability.

WATCH Building – The team at AMCE is working with the Department of Corrections located on the Montana State Hospital campus on upgrading the failing concrete entrance infrastructure. The project included the demolition of the existing concrete/infrastructure, soils stabilization, a new pedestrian rated concrete sidewalk, a new vehicular rated concrete driveway, and site landscaping.

Montana State Hospital Backup Water System – The team at AMCE worked with the Montana State Hospital (MSH) on a backup water supply system. An existing well previously served as a water supply well for the hospital up until the mid-nineties and remains in service for irrigation. The well was upgraded to allow the MSH to provide potable water to the campus if the current delivery of water from the Anaconda-Deer Lodge County Water Department is not possible. Treatment of the well water is completed with a 4-log ultraviolet disinfection system. A few of the project highlights include a new pumphouse, double check valve assembly & vault, water metering, piping upgrades, and landscaping. The backup water system has since been put into service multiple times ensuring that the MSH always has a reliable source of potable water available.

Whitefish Wastewater System Improvements Preliminary Engineering Report (PER) – Anderson-Montgomery Consulting Engineers (AMCE) is working with the City of Whitefish to complete facilities planning for improvements to the City’s wastewater treatment plant which will allow the City to achieve compliance with existing and proposed MPDES discharge permit standards. The existing treatment facility cannot meet the new standards without major reconstruction. The PER considered treatment alternatives to address the existing permit as well as position the City for anticipated new limits that have been proposed by the DEQ for the next 5 and 10 years, as the discharge permit is renewed. A new Sequencing Batch Reactor has been proposed for construction. Robert Peccia and Associates of Helena and Richwine Environmental of Portland are working with AMCE on this study.

Missoula Biosolids & Green Waste Management Study - AMCE is assisting the City of Missoula with evaluating their current practice of sending plant biosolids to EKO Compost. The primary goal of the study was to explore the City’s available options for biosolids & green waste management; assess acquisition of the private compost operation and if secured, bring the composting operation into compliance with current and anticipated regulatory standards. Odors have been an ongoing issue with the composting facility.

Whitefish Nutrient Reduction and Trading Plan – In conjunction with the Whitefish Wastewater Improvements PER, a Nutrient Reduction and Trading Plan was prepared by Anderson-Montgomery in conjunction with Robert Peccia and Associates. The plan considered non-plant options for nutrient reduction, such as storm water control or reduction of discharge volume through irrigation. Trading options such as purchasing pollutant reduction credits from another point source or a nonpoint source were considered as a means of meeting the source (WWTP) pollutant discharge obligations.  This plan was funded primarily with a DNRC-RRGL grant.

Flathead Lake Biological Station Wastewater PER – Anderson-Montgomery is preparing a PER for the Flathead Lake Biological Station (FLBS), a research and education facility for the University of Montana located on Yellow Bay of Flathead Lake.  The purpose of the PER is to evaluate the FLBS wastewater treatment facility to identify and prioritize needed improvements.  The existing plant is deteriorating, requires a continuous discharge to Flathead Lake and is difficult to operate. A new facility is anticipated which does not require a surface water discharge. 

Whitefish I&I Mitigation – Anderson-Montgomery recently completed oversight of construction for the City of Whitefish including the rehabilitation of several thousand lineal feet of 6, 8 and 10 inch sewer mains as well as rehabilitation of almost 60 manholes. Much of the work was adjacent to Whitefish Lake in fully developed areas with difficult access constraints. The work was completed ahead of schedule and under budget. This project was funded with DNRC-RRGL, MDOC-TSEP and SRF funding.

Alberton Water Study – Anderson-Montgomery completed a study of the water system for the Town of Alberton including a grant application to the DNRC to fund needed improvements to the control system and installation of a safer disinfection system. The town of Alberton owns and operates a municipal water system with two separate groundwater sources and large quantities of treated drinking water are lost due to poor system control. The improvements will save water, chemicals and energy.

Park City Lagoon Biosolids Removal – Anderson-Montgomery recently provided oversight of the removal and disposal of biosolids from the existing aerated lagoon wastewater treatment system. The accumulated solids were removed from Cells 1, 2, and 3 of Park City’s sewer lagoons and hauled 3.5 miles to a private property that was willing to accept the biosolids to be tilled into the soil at an approved agronomic rate. Biosolids were also disposed on land belonging to Park City.

Polson Downtown Water Mains – Recently Anderson-Montgomery completed the design and oversight of construction of over one mile of water main replacement in the Polson downtown area. Highway crossings were made utilizing boring and jacking installation of pipe. This project required detailed design to avoid utility conflicts.   Prior work on the water system included the design and construction of two 500,000 gallon concrete water storage tanks with piping additions and a complete telemetry control system. AMCE has prepared several successful grants for the City of Polson.

Whitefish River Lakes Forcemain – Anderson-Montgomery designed and managed construction of a new forcemain at the wastewater treatment plant to divert wastewater, previously discharged directly to the lagoon system, to a perforated screen pretreatment facility, insuring that all wastewater sent to the lagoons has been screened. Unscreened wastewater had caused significant operation problems in the lagoons with solids accumulation on the aeration diffusers. Low interest SRF loan funds were used for the work.

Montana State Hospital Utility Improvements – Anderson-Montgomery completed an extensive two phase planning, design and construction oversight of three projects to upgrade the campus wastewater collection system and portions of the water distribution system. Additionally, a discharge of thermal water was diverted from the sewer system, requiring an independent conveyance conduit.  Wastewater discharge to the existing lagoons has been roughly reduced by 50 percent. Most of the hospitals sewage collection system, including both pipe and manholes, has been rehabilitated utilizing cured in place epoxy liners. Several old pipes and manholes serving buildings demolished in the past decade were abandoned to reduce sources of infiltration and inflow. Reconstruction of gravel and paved roads was a major component of the project.

Anderson Montgomery Consulting Engineers
1064 North Warren Street
Helena, MT 59601-3413

(406) 449-3303 ‎

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