The City of Bellevue is continuing to operate its wastewater treatment facility using its alternative infrastructure. The city remains focused on protecting public health and the environment while it makes repairs to the primary treatment plant. Wastewater entering the facility is being treated through the facilities lagoon and recharge basin system, with chlorine disinfection applied at multiple stages of the process and routine sampling conducted on a regular basis. Treated water is monitored weekly, and the city continues to perform the annual soil sampling and twice-yearly groundwater monitoring required under its permit.
At the same time, the city is managing operational challenges related to an aging treatment and recharge system. According to the 2023 facility plan, portions of the recharge basin infrastructure have not received major improvements or maintenance since their expansion in 1991. Current site conditions, including seasonal irrigation activity near the basins, cooler weather, changing groundwater levels, and long-term maintenance needs, have affected infiltration performance and overall flow management. These factors have required careful operational adjustments to maintain appropriate chlorine residuals for compliance sampling and treatment performance.
The Idaho Department of Environmental Quality recently visited the site on May 28th, 2026. They toured the facility and are aware of current operating conditions. The city remains in communication with regulators and is continuing to monitor treatment performance closely.
In recent days, reduced irrigation activity has helped lower basin levels, and the City has adjusted flows to improve operations while continuing to obtain required samples. City staff will keep managing lagoon and basin levels carefully in the near term and will continue evaluating both immediate and long-term solutions to improve reliability at the plant. The city wants residents to know that untreated water is not entering the canal, and protecting water quality remains the top priority. Additional updates will be provided as work continues.
Chris Johnson
Public Works Director
cjohnson@bellevueidaho.us
