The city of Shelby was awarded a $700,000 federal Community Development Block grant from the Montana Department of Commerce to replace their sewer lines and invest in their wastewater system.
Portions of the city’s collection system were installed back in 1919, and the system has had several issues arise from aging clay pipes and corrosion.
The grant will be used to replace sewer services acting as mains that serve multiple homes to provide individual services to homes. Pipes in poor structural condition will also be reinforced.
The City of Shelby’s Finance Officer Jade Goroski says the project’s impact to the public will be minimal, saying, “It’s going to be pretty minor impact. Most of it's going to be cured-in-place pipe that's put in, so there won't be a lot of excavation. It'll be low impact as far as services being out or construction issues.”
Goroski says the sewer line repairs are part of a larger project, and the city is hoping to receive more funding, including through the Renewable Resource Grant and Loan program, to push the project up to around $1.5 million.
The city plans to begin the engineering and design process this year, with construction commencing in 2026.
