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Project Sponsor
South Fork Coeur d’Alene River Sewer District (SFSD)
Purpose
This project installs a tertiary treatment system at the Page Wastewater Treatment Plant, operated by the South Fork Sewer District (SFSD). The facility currently treats most of the wastewater in the Silver Valley from Kingston to Wallace, serving a population of 7,055. This project may also enable Smelterville to connect to the treatment system, furthering potential pollutant reduction.
Funding
This project received $17 million from Governor Little’s Leading Idaho initiative and $4.4 million was added to this award for additional work.
Current Status
Construction began in spring 2025 and will be completed during summer of 2026. Three buildings are being added to the site for tertiary treatment: a solids contact clarifier, a tertiary treatment building, and a rapid mix box.
- Tertiary Treatment Building – Plumbing, electrical, and process piping was completed beneath the building slab. The floor was poured and the contractor began erecting the structural steel for the pre-engineered metal building in November 2025. Installation of the roof and walls are scheduled for completion in February 2026.
- Solids Contact Clarifier – The structure has been built and was completed in four pours. As of February 2026, it is being tested for watertightness and crews are completing concrete finishing of the structure. Next, the mixing mechanism will be installed.
- Rapid Mix Box – underground piping and the concrete slab have been completed. As of February 2026, crews have begun installing formwork and reinforcing steel for the rapid mix box walls.
SFSD and DEQ are in the initial stages of gathering information from the City of Smelterville for potential integration. The SFSD is also looking into purchasing additional land from Shoshone County. Additionally, SFSD is working on analyzing the hyporheic discharge for groundwater monitoring and flows and loads analysis for the connection to Smelterville.
Outcome
This project is expected to reduce current phosphorus loading to the South Fork Coeur d’Alene River by 7,015 pounds annually.