Lamar council advances wastewater land work as Stage 2 water restrictions continue
Council approved legal and appraisal steps for a future treatment plant as 2026 water use runs 1.1% above last year’s pace.
The Lamar City Council approved legal and appraisal steps Monday for a future wastewater treatment plant as the city remains under Stage 2 water restrictions and 2026 water use runs slightly above last year’s pace.
At the July 27 meeting, detailed in the public meeting recording, water staff reported average 2026 demand of about 2.27 million gallons per day and 306 million gallons of use year to date, compared with 303 million at the same point in 2025 — a 1.1% increase. Staff attributed the pressure to extreme heat and limited snowmelt, which reduces recharge to the city’s wells.
The city’s water and wastewater information page says Stage 2 restrictions are in effect. Staff said residents may water three days a week based on their addresses and only during specified hours. The department will monitor conditions and return to the council for additional conservation measures if dry conditions continue.
The update did not provide a current water-supply or reserve figure, so it does not establish a specific supply-versus-demand margin. Staff said drinking water remained compliant with state and federal standards, with no positive results in monthly bacteria sampling.
Lead-line work
Staff reported that 19 of the 22 lead service lines identified during the city’s initial inventory phase had been replaced, or 86%. The meeting record did not identify the remaining lines, a replacement deadline, a contractor or the total replacement cost.
A previously posted City Council record shows Lamar awarded Reconn Holdings $175,340 for a lead-line service inventory project. That amount covered inventory work, not replacement of the remaining lines.
Wastewater-treatment property steps
Council approved a resolution of necessity and an appraisal agreement for a planned three-parcel land swap and related condemnation proceedings for the future treatment facility. The actions allow title, appraisal and legal work to continue; they do not mean construction has begun or that the transaction has closed.
Council members described the condemnation process as part of a “friendly” land swap. Mayor America Crestman said the city’s goal was to complete the legal and property work by the end of 2026. The record did not state the appraisal agreement’s price, the total treatment-plant cost, the parcels’ owners or a construction start date.
The city is also continuing planning work with engineering firm JVA, including review of a 30% design plan and a systemwide study of inflow and infiltration. A City Council minutes record shows a separate $10,000 planning grant agreement for the plant.
Council also approved a renewed annual agreement for use of Lamar’s augmentation station, using Lamar Canal shares rather than Fort Bent shares for return flows, according to the meeting update.
The city’s next scheduled council meeting is Aug. 10.