Most Montanans trust that our city water supply is clean and safe to drink, and for the most part, it is. Water treatment facilities in most of our cities have the resources to ensure what comes out of our taps is safe to drink, at least according to EPA-recommended guidelines.

Water quality in Montana's smaller communities can be less than ideal.

Numerous Montana towns far exceeded the limits for various substances that are unhealthy or downright toxic in heavy concentrations, according to data shared by watchdog group EWG.org.

EWG is an organization that has "shined a spotlight on outdated legislation, harmful agricultural practices, and industry loopholes that pose a risk to our health and the health of our environment" since 1993.

Using Montana DEQ data, the following towns and communities in Montana had the unhealthiest tap water between 2019 and 2021, according to EWG.org's most current report. Results were based on its "Violation Points" methodology.

Whitehall, MT. Google Maps
Whitehall, MT. Google Maps
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Whitehall, MT City of Whitehall - 100 points for unhealthy water quality

  • Arsenic - 1,694x the recommended health guideline.
  • Nitrate and nitrite - 8.1x the recommended health guideline.
  • Radium - 19x the recommended health guideline.
  • Uranium - over the legal limit of 20 pCi/L at 24.84 pCi/L
Photo by SHTTEFAN on Unsplash
Photo by SHTTEFAN on Unsplash
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Harlem, MT City of Harlem - 97 points for unhealthy water quality

  • Arsenic - 300x the recommended health guideline.
  • Bromochloroacetic acid - 428x the recommended health guideline.
  • Bromodichloromethane - 496x the recommended health guideline.
  • Chloroform - 181x the recommended health guideline.
  • Dibromoacetic acid - 40x the recommended health guideline.
  • Dibromochloromethane - 86x the recommended health guideline.
  • Dichloroacetic acid - 115x the recommended health guideline.
  • Haloacetic acids (HAA5) - 526x the recommended health guideline.
  • Radium - 38x the recommended health guideline.
  • Total trihalomethanes (TTHMs) - Over the legal limit of 80 ppb at 111.1 ppb.
  • Trichloroacetic acid - 264x the recommended health guideline.
  • Uranium - 4.7x the recommended health guideline.
Augusta, MT. Google Maps
Augusta, MT. Google Maps
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Augusta, MT Elk Creek Colony - 53 points for unhealthy water quality

  • Bromochloroacetic acid - 17x the recommended health guideline.
  • Bromodichloromethane - 6.7x the recommended health guideline.
  • Dibromoacetic acid - 4.7x the recommended health guideline.
  • Haloacetic acids (HAA5) - 5.3x the recommended health guideline.
  • Nitrate and nitrite - Over the legal limit of 10 ppm at 10.7 ppm
  • Total trihalomethanes (TTHMs) - 7.8x the recommended health guideline.
Chester, MT. Google Maps
Chester, MT. Google Maps
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Chester, MT Riverview Colony - 45 points for unhealthy water quality

  • Bromochloroacetic acid - 164x the recommended health guideline.
  • Bromodichloromethane - 178x the recommended health guideline.
  • Chloroform - 147x the recommended health guideline.
  • Dibromoacetic acid - 5.7x the recommended health guideline.
  • Dibromochloromethane - 14x the recommended health guideline.
  • Dichloroacetic acid - 122x the recommended health guideline.
  • Haloacetic acids (HAA5) - 580x the recommended health guideline.
  • Total trihalomethanes (TTHMs) - 474x the recommended health guideline.
  • Trichloroacetic acid - 300x the recommended health guideline.
Conrad, MT. Google Maps
Conrad, MT. Google Maps
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Conrad, MT County Water District - 40 points for unhealthy water quality

  • Bromochloroacetic acid - 155x the recommended health guideline.
  • Bromodichloromethane - 151x the recommended health guideline.
  • Chloroform - 112x the recommended health guideline.
  • Dibromoacetic acid - 4.7x the recommended health guideline.
  • Dibromochloromethane - 12x the recommended health guideline.
  • Dichloroacetic acid - 110x the recommended health guideline.
  • Haloacetic acids (HAA5) - 493x the recommended health guideline.
  • Total trihalomethanes (TTHMs) - 366x the recommended health guideline.
  • Trichloroacetic acid - 244x the recommended health guideline.
Havre, MT. Credit Michael Foth, TSM
Havre, MT. Credit Michael Foth, TSM
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Havre, MT Tiber County Water District - 40 points for unhealthy water quality

  • Bromochloroacetic acid - 154x the recommended health guideline.
  • Bromodichloromethane - 175x the recommended health guideline.
  • Chloroform - 136x the recommended health guideline.
  • Dibromoacetic acid - 3.6x the recommended health guideline.
  • Dibromochloromethane - 15x the recommended health guideline.
  • Dichloroacetic acid - 112x the recommended health guideline.
  • Haloacetic acids (HAA5) - 548x the recommended health guideline.
  • Total trihalomethanes (TTHMs) - 441x the recommended health guideline.
  • Trichloroacetic acid - 292x the recommended health guideline.
Photo by Alexandre Lecocq on Unsplash
Photo by Alexandre Lecocq on Unsplash
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Billings, MT Crystal Springs Water System - 40 points for unhealthy water quality

  • Arsenic - 1,375x the recommended health guideline.
  • Bromochloroacetic acid - 145x the recommended health guideline.
  • Bromodichloromethane - 29x the recommended health guideline.
  • Bromoform - 3.2x the recommended health guideline.
  • Dibromoacetic acid - 105x the recommended health guideline.
  • Dibromochloromethane - 30x the recommended health guideline.
  • Dichloroacetic acid - 6x the recommended health guideline.
  • Haloacetic acids (HAA5) - 55x the recommended health guideline.
  • Nitrates and nitrites - 59x the recommended health guideline.
  • Radium - 3x the recommended health guideline.
  • Total trihalomethanes (TTHMs) - 47x the recommended health guidelines.
  • Uranium - 17x the recommended health guideline.
East Fork Ranch Lewistown, Montana
A ranch near Lewistown, MT. Credit Paul Mushaben, Townsquare Media
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Lewistown, MT King Ranch Colony - 36 points for unhealthy water quality

  • Nitrates and nitrites - Over the legal limit of 10 ppm at 10.7 ppm
Rural Worden, MT. Credit Michael Foth, TSM
Rural Worden, MT. Credit Michael Foth, TSM
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Worden and Ballentine, MT - 30 points for unhealthy water quality

  • Arsenic - 688x the recommended health guideline.
  • Bromochloroacetic acid - 183x the recommended health guideline.
  • Bromodichloroacetic acid - 93x the recommended health guideline.
  • Bromodichloromethane - 71x the recommended health guideline.
  • Bromoform - 4.9x the recommended health guideline.
  • Chloroform - 7.1x the recommended health guideline.
  • Dibromoacetic acid - 89x the recommended health guideline.
  • Dibromochloromethane - 62x the recommended health guideline.
  • Dichloroacetic acid - 13x the recommended health guideline.
  • Haloacetic acids (HAA5) - 83x the recommended health guideline.
  • Nitrates and Nitrites - 42x the recommended health guideline.
  • Radium - 9.9x the recommended health guideline.
  • Total trihalomethanes (TTHMs) - 106x the recommended health guideline.
  • Trichloroacetic acid - 35x the recommended health guideline.
  • Uranium - 14x the recommended health guideline.
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Photo by Bluewater Sweden on Unsplash
Photo by Bluewater Sweden on Unsplash
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Get a high-quality water filter.

Unless noted as "over the legal limit", the EPA believes the water in these communities is just fine for human consumption. Most of the cancer-linked chemicals found in these water supplies do not cause immediate illness and are considered "safe" to drink when extremely diluted.

I'd recommend everyone in Montana - especially if you live in one of the water systems mentioned above - use a decent water filter, such as a reverse osmosis system or other filtration device.

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