navigation

info

additional links

contact info

Clean Water Act

The Failure of the EPA

The Clean Water Act was created to improve the quality of our water, but this video shows how the EPA is failing. The funding to support and assure compliance by local sewer districts continues to decrease. From storm runoff to dumping industrial toxins in our sewer systems, our rivers are in danger.

Southside Sewer and Water District

Successful Meeting

The August 24 meeting of the Pend Oreille Basin Commission (AKA – Lakes Commission) was a success. The community turn out was strong. There were not enough chairs in the room, more needed to be brought in.

The first topic on the agenda was the possible construction of a large sewer plant on the river to serve the planned regional sewer system. If this system was to be developed, it is expected to be at least ten years in the future. The public response at the meeting to this river discharge plant was strongly negative.

The next agenda item was the Southside Sewer and Water District (SSWS) board resubmitting their plans to build the river discharge plant they were hoping to build three years ago. The Commission did not endorse the plant. The asked the SSWS board to return if they did decide to build a plant. Everyone from the audience was opposed to a discharge plant.

Possible environmentally solution

Clean Rivers at the end of this discussion pointed out to the SSWS board and the Pend Oreille Basin Commission that there were more options available other than river discharge. Clean Rivers introduced the room to Coherent Resources, Inc. from Cheney, WA as a possible solution to SSWS needing to expand. Due to Coherent Resources’ success remediating polluted ponds using sustainable technology, sewer districts have pursued their technology to solve their problems.

The people at Coherent Resources agreed to doing a performance arrangement with SSWS – if their technology does not work, the district does not pay. Linda Mitchell, the vice-chair strongly encouraged the SSWS board to pursue the Coherent Resources solution.

A meeting is being planned in late September for all parties to meet at the current district facility to evaluate and plan how to implement this new technology.

If this solution works, it could mean no infrastructure changes, no building of a plant and maybe no need to purchase more land. Essentially this technology would enhance what the current system does.

Media Coverage

The pre and post media attention was significant concerning the Pend Oreille Basin Commission meeting and river discharge. There were at least seven different news stories on the possible SSWS building of a plant to dump its sewer effluence into the River

The Daily Bee had a good review of the meeting.

What is next?

Please continue to track the developments concerning SSWS and the possible regional plant. We encourage you to maintain your support of environmentally sound solutions to our sewer problems with your elective representatives and the media.

Also, please support the SSWS board in their decision to seriously investigate a sustainable solution.

Thank you for supporting us in keeping our rivers clean.

clean rivers

We are a group of individuals and organizations pursuing the technologies and political actions that support clean water. Through studying SSWD’s problem over the past four years we believe there are non-toxic and cost effective solutions to the problem of exceeding their treatment capacity. Many of these green technologies are being used successfully in harsher climates than ours.

our goal

Our goal at Clean Rivers is to champion a way of treating our wastewater to not pollute our waterways or our lands. To design a wastewater treatment system that would honor the lands, the waters and the children of all species for all time.

invitation

We invite you to join us in our preserving our clean waters. Please contact us if you have questions or wish to inform us about a possible problem.

A River Runs Through It

Eventually, all things merge into one, and a river runs through it. The river was cut by the world's great flood and runs over rocks from the basement of time. On some of the rocks are timeless raindrops. Under the rocks are the words, and some of the words are theirs. I am haunted by waters.

Norman Maclean, A River Runs Through It