The sanitary sewer collection system at the Park County Fairgrounds consisted of a septic tank and drainfield for the Main Exhibit building, a septic tank and drainfield for the caretaker's house and shower building, a sump for the swine barn, one small septic tank and single lateral for the northern concession stand and bathrooms, a septic tank and drainfield for the southern bathrooms and a septic tank and drainfield for the old Search and Rescue building. Project activities began in April 2014 and were complete the first week of June 2014. The project was funded by a $100,000 Department of Natural Resources and Conservation Renewable Resources Grant with approximately $194,000 funded by Park County.

The sanitary sewer collection system at the Park County Fairgrounds consisted of a septic tank and drainfield for the Main Exhibit building, a septic tank and drainfield for the caretaker's house and shower building, a sump for the swine barn, one small septic tank and single lateral for the northern concession stand and bathrooms, a septic tank and drainfield for the southern bathrooms.

The County has witnessed the failure of various existing septic systems currently used at the Fairgrounds. These systems are within the 100-year floodplain of the Yellowstone River and are undersized to accommodate the wide fluctuations in waste loading experienced at the Fairgrounds. The high groundwater table at the Fairgrounds property does not lend itself well to typical absorption trench type drainfields, and decreases the amount of time until the existing septic drainfields are saturated, leading to surfacing septage that poses health and safety risks to fairground visitors, pets and livestock. It also posed an increased risk of both groundwater and surface water contamination.

Based on preliminary engineering studies, a large diameter gravity collection system was installed for the Fairgrounds buildings and connected to a lift-station installed as part of the Fleshman Creek Urban Restoration project. Due to the large difference in the minimum average day usage, with peak loading seen during the annual Fair and Rodeo events, the new system will operate without worry and intensive operator attention since connected to the municipal system extension associated with the Fleshman Creek Project. Project activities began in April 2014 and were complete the first week of June 2014.


The project was funded by a $100,000 Department of Natural Resources and Conservation Renewable Resources Grant with approximately $155,000 funded by Park County.

Link to MT's Dept. of Natural Resources & Conservation's Renewable Resource Grant Program: