Tinch takes reins as Bigfork Water and Sewer District’s first female president

Alida Tinch has always worked in a man’s world. She spent most of her career in California working wholesale and retail for construction and mining companies. After moving to south-central Montana in 2005, she made her way to Bigfork in 2011.  

What brought her was the lake.  

“I’ve always been around the water,” she explained. Originally, that water was the Pacific Ocean. Tinch has a history body surfing and skiing, though in recent years, her relationship with water has found its focustakes in conservation.  

“Water’s the most important natural resource on the planet. Without it we don't live. Without it being clean, we aren’t healthy,” Tinch said.  

Tinch was invited to join the Bigfork Water and Sewer District board and was elected to her current seat two years ago, the first woman on the board. Now, the board has voted her president, a two-year appointment. She will replace Tom Cahill, who has stepped down to become vice president.  

Tinch said she would love to see more diversity, including in gender and age, on the Bigfork Water and Sewer District board. “Most people don’t know we’re here,” she said.  

“I want to be a face that the community recognizes, knows and has comfort with calling, reaching, out to, and asking for help. I want the community to know how hard the staff and organization works to ensure that we have clean water, both in our lake and that we drink.”

Some of Bigfork Water and Sewer’s current projects include the removal and replacement of asbestos-concrete pipe on Sunset Drive, which is set to be completed by the end of October.  Both water and sewer will be replaced, and the road repaved.  

The EPA has also mandated the removal of lead and copper pipe across the country in about 12 years, Bigfork Water and Sewer is working to identify where that pipe lies and making plans on how to replace it.  

“The board is planning for the future... we’re overseeing finances, we’re overseeing project development and trying to identify priorities in those developments or priorities in repairs we’re thinking of making,” Tinch said.  

One of Bigfork’s main water dilemmas is desired development beyond the current system’s capacity. Tinch explained that while she is supportive of positive change and development, she believes it needs to be managed appropriately.  

“I want to protect the public from paying for things that developers want to do; not opposed to development but don’t think it should be paid for at the expense of the existing rate payers,” Tinch said.  

Another focus of Tich and the board will be modernizing their systems to prioritize being proactive rather than reactive.  

“I enjoy change. I want the change to be appropriate and manageable. I want to be proactive rather than reactive to problems that we know we have coming down the pike,” Tinch said.  

Bigfork Water and Sewer District holds public meetings are typically the second Wednesday of the month at 1 p.m. at 108 Harbor Heights Boulevard. Next meeting is scheduled for September 13 at 1 p.m.