Assiniboine & Sioux Rural Water Supply System
Written by Nikki Rogers, EFC Region 8 Category 2 Specialist
The Assiniboine & Sioux Rural Water Supply System--ASRWSS/Dry Prairie Rural Water System is in northeastern Montana. The Fort Peck Reservation is approximately 100 miles long by 40 miles wide and is bounded on the south by the Missouri River. The Wambdi Wahachanka “Eagle Shield” Water Treatment Plant (WTP) lies outside Wolf Point, MT, along Highway 2. The plant is about eight years old and is run by the Tribe. The ASRWSS Board comprises five members and meets on the first and third Tuesdays of the month. ASRWSS has an agreement with the Dry Prairie Regional System, which reaches east, nearly to the North Dakota border, then north, and nearly to Canada outside the reservation boundaries. I met Ashleigh Weeks, General Manager, and Matthew “Finn” James, WTP Supervisor, at the water treatment plant at 6029 Road 1068 Wolf Point, MT. We discussed many things happening to them. They showed me the map with the projects already done and upcoming projects to bring everyone online on the west end of Roosevelt County. ASRWSS Board of Directors consists of 5 members and meets twice a month on the 1st and 3rd Tuesday of each month. Wolf Point and Poplar can charge their citizens for water services as they are municipalities. The communities of Frazer and Fort Kipp are unincorporated and fall under tribal jurisdiction. The Tribe cannot charge their citizens for water services per a contract or a treaty with the federal government. She mentioned it is held in trust by the United States for Fort Peck Tribes. The community of Brockton still falls under Roosevelt County.
In a meeting with Ashley and Matthew, we discussed several areas. One issue they have is using the American Steel parts when they are on backorder. They are also concerned with a big tree at the intake of the river. Ms. Weeks asked the following questions: 1. Which template do they use? Tribal template 2. Does ASRWSS include the incorporated towns (Poplar and Wolf Point) and stock taps? 3. Fort Kip and Frazer belong to the Fort Peck Tribes, but who do the lead service lines? 4. Brockton is an unincorporated town that is in the County jurisdiction. Does the county need an LSL, ASRWSS, or Fort Peck Tribes? Ms. Weeks would like to learn more about farmers using clean-out access for their personal use. What can they do regarding security? She also asked about installing security cameras at the tanks, pump stations, and intake.
Ms. Rogers will follow up with MT DEQ and EPA to ensure ASRWSS uses the most current template. Ms. Rogers asked if Fort Peck Tribes has had any meetings with the Roosevelt County Sheriff's office and the BIA Tribal Police regarding some of the security issues. ASRWSS should look into some cybersecurity grants to help with security cameras and clean-out security.In speaking with the DEQ office in Helena, they pointed me to the website for the Lead Service Line Inventory templates. Here is the link to the website: https://deq.mt.gov/water/Programs/dw-leadandcopper.
Ms. Rogers will follow up with ASRWSS to see if they had luck in finding cameras for their various buildings. She will also continue to build a relationship with the Fort Peck Tribes.