Holland Lake Lodge owners clear wastewater hurdle for reopening

The historic Holland Lake Lodge could soon open for private events after the Missoula Board of Health approved a temporary wastewater plan for the site on Thursday, despite some public concerns it could contaminate groundwater.

The health board voted 5-2 to give the owners of the lodge a county variance to use a temporary holding tank for wastewater from the lodge and cabins on site, although additional testing will be required before it's used.

City-county health code does not allow temporary holding tanks, but the board opted to make an exception because the larger wastewater system owned by the U.S. Forest Service is in need of a larger replacement.

Eric Jacobsen, the new owner of the lodge, said the temporary fix would allow the lodge to begin hosting events like weddings, and said he would do whatever is necessary to ensure he is not contaminating area groundwater.

"We want to walk into this as opposed to run into this," Jacobsen told the board. "What I mean by that is we do not want to set an opening date and take reservations and fill the restaurant and be at capacity out of the gate."

His company previously announced in February that the lodge would be taking reservations for a select number of private events in 2026, the Missoulian reported.

The holding tank would be frequently pumped and disposed offsite, and monitors would track whether the tank is nearing capacity. Chemical toilets are also planned to be used for the temporary system.

Several members of the public raised concerns around the decades-old holding tank that's expected to be used, saying it's not designed for the proposed use. The tank sits below ground near the banks of Holland Lake, according to the staff report on the proposal.

The health board required that a comprehensive leak test be completed on the tank and system before the lodge can open and host events. If that test fails, the lodge owners would have to install a new holding tank.

Jacobsen said he is not opposed to a new tank, but the new system would require additional Forest Service approval, which could take an additional six months, according to Forest Service officials present at the meeting.

Using the existing holding tanks would not require an environmental review, according to Flathead National Forest Supervisor Anthony Botello.

It is unclear when the Forest Service could complete repairs to the larger wastewater system on site. The system was shut down in 2023 because of a large leak, and a replacement plan has yet to be identified.

Under the approval granted by the health board, the temporary tank can be used through 2028, as long as the system demonstrates it has no leaks.

If the system reaches a 75% capacity, all food service must be halted at the lodge, according to the variance. County officials said more details will be ironed out between the company and the health department before an opening is approved.

Jacobsen purchased the lodge in 2025 and got approval from the Forest Service to continue previous operations on the site, like a public restaurant and bar.

"My goal is to preserve and protect Holland Lake Lodge for today and for future generations and to do so in harmony with nature," Jacobsen told the health board. "I love the lodge not because of its structures, but because of its location in the world."