On Tuesday, August 11, at 4:30 p.m., the Dutton Town Council held an emergency meeting and adopted a resolution officially declaring the failure of our water pumps an emergency.
This declaration serves two important purposes. First, it gives Mayor Fleshman the authority to pursue emergency funding and procurement without waiting through the normal bidding, proposal, and award process. That process could add approximately six weeks before the pumps could even be ordered—and the pumps currently identified already have an estimated 13-week build and delivery time.
Second, the resolution provides a clear instrument to express the gravity of the situation when seeking emergency funding assistance from the State or other outside agencies. A grant application has been signed, and we are now waiting to hear from engineers and funding representatives as we work to understand the available options and the road ahead.
To be clear, the Council has not yet authorized the purchase of the pumps, and funding has not yet been secured. Peak Water—the vendor that was able to diagnose and document the problem—has provided a current quote of $81,516.26 for the pumps alone. That amount does not include removing the existing pumps or installing the replacements.
This is the only confirmed replacement option we have found so far, but we are continuing to search for anything that could provide a faster solution. We do not yet know whether another option is available, how quickly it could be delivered, or whether it would cost more or less.
Tuesday’s meeting was not intended to be an informational hearing or public question-and-answer session. The emergency resolution was the only item on the agenda. If the meeting occurred before you were able to leave work, please know that you did not miss any intended broader presentation or discussion. We will schedule a public information and Q&A meeting once we have received more information from the engineers and funding agencies and can give residents a clearer picture of the path forward.
Current water situation
At this time, there is water in the storage tank, and the pumps are continuing to operate. However, they cannot pump at a rate that supports unrestricted water use.
Residents may hand-water gardens, flowers, and similar plants. There are no designated watering days or hours, but please do not water lawns or use sprinklers. We know it is disappointing to let a lawn go dormant, but it should recover when conditions improve. For this summer, maintaining a safe water supply for the entire community has to come first.
Your conservation efforts are making a real difference. They have helped us fill and maintain the tank so we can continue providing household water, keep the wastewater system operating, and preserve water for fire suppression. Please continue conserving wherever you reasonably can.
Questions, concerns, and accurate information
We agree completely that residents deserve answers. We want you to have the most complete and honest information available—including an honest acknowledgment when something remains unknown or undetermined.
We also need to address the rumors and speculation circulating on social media. The Town Information page and direct communication with the Town Office are the reliable sources for information about this situation. Conversations built around assumptions, personal agendas, or hostility toward Town employees do not produce answers or move the project forward.
Our staff consists of only three employees and Mayor Fleshman. They are working through a serious infrastructure emergency while continuing to keep Dutton’s essential services running. Questions and scrutiny are entirely appropriate; personal attacks and treating staff as targets are not. That behavior takes a real toll on the very small group of people working to solve the problem, and losing even one or two of them would make an already difficult situation substantially worse.
Please ask us your questions directly. We cannot address concerns that are never brought to us, and answers are unlikely to be found in a hostile Facebook conversation. If we know the answer, we will share it. If we do not know yet, we will tell you that honestly and explain what we are doing to find out.
The Town Office is open Monday through Friday from 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.:
Town of Dutton
11 Main Street West
406-476-3311
townofdutton@duttonmt.gov
This is a serious problem, but it is not the first and I’m sure it won’t be the last major challenge our water system has faced. Unexpected problems happen in every aspect of life and every business that’s ever existed. We will work on it until it is resolved and move on to the next thing that needs our attention. That is the job, that is why water operators have continuing education, and that’s what we are here for. Many past emergencies have gone largely unnoticed because Town staff handled them as they arose and found solutions before most residents were affected. That is not a lack of transparency—it is the daily work of keeping essential services operating.
We publish meeting agendas showing what will be discussed or decided, announce significant problems, and post updates here so residents have one consistent place to find reliable information.
Thank you for conserving water, asking thoughtful questions, and showing patience and kindness to the people working through this emergency. This is a difficult situation, but we will continue facing it honestly, responsibly, and together—like we always have, as a community.