Each season thousands of visitors take advantage of the Black Hills, but communities need to adequately prepare for them. When a city of less than 1,000 becomes a tourism destination, that means real strain on every single service in town.
Hill City South Dakota might be in a picturesque corner of the state, but all those visitors mean extra strain on roads, police forces and rescue services each year.
For this community, though, mayor Mike Verchio said it’s the water system causing concern now.
“It’s really good when the tourist season isn’t here. When the tourist season is here the load is unbelievable on the water system – particularly wastewater," Verchio said. "We have a very modern wastewater plant and the gentleman that runs it is doing an outstanding job. The problem is in the summer we have to use our overflow ponds a lot, and I’d like somehow to upgrade our plant.”
Verchio said people at the end of the water line can see the difference in their water pressure between tourism and the off season. He said it’s reflective of the weight tourism carries for the local economy.
“Our Main Street, and of course others surrounding, that sales tax is the life blood of Hill City," Verchio said. "Tourism is extremely important, and we really want to welcome everybody.”
The newly elected mayor said it’s something he has challenged his council to address.
“I’m not asking for a solution that can be done right away because I know it can’t," Verchio said. "I’m asking for a path to guide us to that solution from them, in writing, and if there’s a fiscal impact where they think they can get the money and turn that in by Jan. 1. Same with water, same with streets, housing, et cetera.”
Along with its water system, the city limits are mostly bordered by National Forest Service lands, which adds an additional wrench into any proposed developments or annexations.
Verchio said despite infrastructure challenges facing the destination community, his vision of an expanding Main Street remains unchanged.