New RV dump station opens in Blackfoot; old location closes
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BLACKFOOT — A new RV dump station in Blackfoot is up and running for anybody to conveniently use 24/7 for free.
The new RV Dump station is at 1300 Airport Road, where it’s easily accessible from the highway. It’s for recreational use only, like for campers and motor homes, and not for commercial entities, such as travel buses.
“It’s right behind the Parks and Rec Department building … which made a lot of sense to locate it there because we also have an RV park just right in front of the department, so we get a lot of people that are coming through on their way to Yellowstone or for a ball tournament,” said Grahm Anderson, city of Blackfoot treasurer.
The city held a ribbon-cutting ceremony to celebrate it Tuesday. The RV dump station has been open since April 21, Anderson said. The dump station is tied directly to the city sewer line.
“So it goes right into the sewer line, which goes right to the waste treatment plant,” he said.
The dump station was made possible from a grant. Anderson said the city applied for a grant in January 2022 through the Idaho Department of Parks and Recreation. The grant for $141,126 was awarded the following June. The money went toward engineering and design along with construction.
“We are really grateful for the Department of Idaho Parks and Rec and working with us and being able to get this grant. I think it’s just a neat opportunity to work with them and to provide a service that people can enjoy,” Anderson said.
The old location, which was near the Blackfoot Fire Department on Ash Street, is now closed. Anderson said the RV dump station had been there for a long time.
“We couldn’t find official documentation, but we think it’s got to be around 40 to 45 years that it’s been there,” he said.
It was old, needed repairs and accessibility was not good. It became a safety issue.
“You couldn’t get too many people down that alleyway before they were out onto the road, and then they would start curving around. They were blocking the front bay doors towards the fire engines and the ambulances,” Anderson said. “So if there was an emergency call that would come in and you had three people waiting in line to clean out their RVs, they were blocking the emergency vehicles.”
He said it wasn’t an everyday occurrence, but it was a concern. He said it was crucial to move the dump station location to give emergency vehicles full access to respond.
He encourages everyone to come out and use the new RV dump station.
“It’s a really nice facility,” Anderson said. “It’s part of quality of life for the citizens of Blackfoot. It’s crucial for campers and people who like to enjoy the outdoors.”
