Layer 1

Is Great Falls Tap Water Safe to Drink?

Yes! Generally Safe to Drink*

LAST UPDATED: 7:47 pm, August 3, 2022

+

Can You Drink Tap Water in Great Falls?

Yes, Great Falls's tap water is generally considered safe to drink as Great Falls has no active health based violations of the Safe Drinking Water Act (SDWA) that we are aware of. Other factors such as lead piping in a home, or low levels of pollutants on immunocompromised individuals, should also be considered, however. To find more recent info we might have, you can check out our boil water notice page or the city's water provider website.

According the EPA’s ECHO database, from April 30, 2019 to June 30, 2022, Great Falls's water utility, City of Great Falls, had 0 violations of the Safe Drinking Water Act. For more details on the violations, please see our violation history section below. The last violation for Great Falls was resolved on June 30, 2019. This assessment is based on the City of Great Falls water system, other water systems in the city may have different results.

While tap water that meets the EPA health guidelines generally won’t make you sick to your stomach, it can still contain regulated and unregulated contaminants present in trace amounts that could potentially cause health issues over the long-run. These trace contaminants may also impact immunocompromised and vulnerable individuals.

The EPA is reviewing if it’s current regulations around pollutant levels in tap water are strict enough, and the health dangers posed by unregulated pollutants, like PFAS.

Great Falls Tap Water Safe Drinking Water Act Violation History - Prior 10 Years

Below is a ten year history of violations for the water system named City of Great Falls for Great Falls in Montana. For more details please see the "What do these Violations Mean?" section below.

From April 1, 2019 to June 30, 2019, Great Falls had 1 health-based Safe Drinking Water Act violation with the violation category being Maximum Contaminant Level Violation, more specifically, the violation code was Maximum Contaminant Level Violation, Average which falls into the Disinfectants and Disinfection Byproducts Rule rule code group, and the Stage 2 Disinfectants and Disinfection Byproducts Rule rule code family for the following contaminant code: Total Haloacetic Acids (HAA5).

From Jan. 1, 2019 to March 31, 2019, Great Falls had 1 health-based Safe Drinking Water Act violation with the violation category being Maximum Contaminant Level Violation, more specifically, the violation code was Maximum Contaminant Level Violation, Average which falls into the Disinfectants and Disinfection Byproducts Rule rule code group, and the Stage 2 Disinfectants and Disinfection Byproducts Rule rule code family for the following contaminant code: Total Haloacetic Acids (HAA5).

From Oct. 1, 2018 to Dec. 31, 2018, Great Falls had 1 health-based Safe Drinking Water Act violation with the violation category being Maximum Contaminant Level Violation, more specifically, the violation code was Maximum Contaminant Level Violation, Average which falls into the Disinfectants and Disinfection Byproducts Rule rule code group, and the Stage 2 Disinfectants and Disinfection Byproducts Rule rule code family for the following contaminant code: Total Haloacetic Acids (HAA5).

From July 1, 2018 to Sept. 30, 2018, Great Falls had 1 health-based Safe Drinking Water Act violation with the violation category being Maximum Contaminant Level Violation, more specifically, the violation code was Maximum Contaminant Level Violation, Average which falls into the Disinfectants and Disinfection Byproducts Rule rule code group, and the Stage 2 Disinfectants and Disinfection Byproducts Rule rule code family for the following contaminant code: Total Haloacetic Acids (HAA5).

From April 1, 2018 to June 30, 2018, Great Falls had 1 health-based Safe Drinking Water Act violation with the violation category being Maximum Contaminant Level Violation, more specifically, the violation code was Maximum Contaminant Level Violation, Average which falls into the Disinfectants and Disinfection Byproducts Rule rule code group, and the Stage 2 Disinfectants and Disinfection Byproducts Rule rule code family for the following contaminant code: Total Haloacetic Acids (HAA5).

Is there Lead in Great Falls Water?

Based on the EPA’s ECHO Database, 90% of the samples taken from the Great Falls water system, City of Great Falls, between sample start date and sample end date, were at or below, 0.003 mg/L of lead in Great Falls water. This is 20.0% of the 0.015 mg/L action level. This means 10% of the samples taken from Great Falls contained more lead.

While Great Falls water testing may have found 0.003 mg/L of lead in its water, that does not mean your water source has the same amount. The amount of lead in water in a city can vary greatly from neighborhood to neighborhood, or even building to building. Many buildings, particularly older ones, have lead pipes or service lines which can be a source of contamination. To find out if your home has lead, we recommend getting you water tested.

No amount of lead in water is healthy, only less dangerous. As lead accumulates in our bodies over time, even exposure to relatively small amounts can have negative health effects. For more information, please check out our Lead FAQ page.

Are there PFAS in Great Falls Tap Water?

Currently, testing tap water for PFAS isn’t mandated on a national level. We do have a list of military bases where there have been suspected or confirmed leaks. There appears to be at least one military base - Great Falls International Airport - near Great Falls with suspected leaks.

With many potential sources of PFAS in tap water across the US, the best information we currently have about which cities have PFAS in their water is this ewg map, which you can check to see if Great Falls has been evaluated for yet.

Our stance is better safe than sorry, and that it makes sense to try to purify the tap water just in case.

Great Falls SDWA Violation History Table - Prior 10 Years

Compliance Period Status Health-Based? Category Code Code Rule Code Contaminant Code Rule Group Code Rule Family Code
04/01/2019 - 06/30/2019 Resolved Yes Maximum Contaminant Level Violation (MCL) Maximum Contaminant Level Violation, Average (02) Stage 2 Disinfectants and Disinfection Byproducts Rule (220) Total Haloacetic Acids (HAA5) (2456) Disinfectants and Disinfection Byproducts Rule (200) Stage 2 Disinfectants and Disinfection Byproducts Rule (220)
01/01/2019 - 03/31/2019 Resolved Yes Maximum Contaminant Level Violation (MCL) Maximum Contaminant Level Violation, Average (02) Stage 2 Disinfectants and Disinfection Byproducts Rule (220) Total Haloacetic Acids (HAA5) (2456) Disinfectants and Disinfection Byproducts Rule (200) Stage 2 Disinfectants and Disinfection Byproducts Rule (220)
10/01/2018 - 12/31/2018 Resolved Yes Maximum Contaminant Level Violation (MCL) Maximum Contaminant Level Violation, Average (02) Stage 2 Disinfectants and Disinfection Byproducts Rule (220) Total Haloacetic Acids (HAA5) (2456) Disinfectants and Disinfection Byproducts Rule (200) Stage 2 Disinfectants and Disinfection Byproducts Rule (220)
07/01/2018 - 09/30/2018 Resolved Yes Maximum Contaminant Level Violation (MCL) Maximum Contaminant Level Violation, Average (02) Stage 2 Disinfectants and Disinfection Byproducts Rule (220) Total Haloacetic Acids (HAA5) (2456) Disinfectants and Disinfection Byproducts Rule (200) Stage 2 Disinfectants and Disinfection Byproducts Rule (220)
04/01/2018 - 06/30/2018 Resolved Yes Maximum Contaminant Level Violation (MCL) Maximum Contaminant Level Violation, Average (02) Stage 2 Disinfectants and Disinfection Byproducts Rule (220) Total Haloacetic Acids (HAA5) (2456) Disinfectants and Disinfection Byproducts Rule (200) Stage 2 Disinfectants and Disinfection Byproducts Rule (220)

What do these Violations Mean?

Safe Drinking Water Act Violations categories split into two groups, health based, and non-health based. Generally, health based violations are more serious, though non-health based violations can also be cause for concern.

Health Based Violations

  1. Maximum contaminant levels (MCLs) - maximum allowed contaminant level was exceeded.
  2. Maximum residual disinfectant levels (MRDLs) - maximum allowed disinfectant level was exceeded.
  3. Other violations (Other) - the exact required process to reduce the amounts of contaminants in drinking water was not followed.

Non-Health Based Violations

  1. Monitoring and reporting violations (MR, MON) - failure to conduct the required regular monitoring of drinking water quality, and/or to submit monitoring results on time.
  2. Public notice violations (Other) - failure to immediately alert consumers if there is a serious problem with their drinking water that may pose a risk to public health.
  3. Other violations (Other) - miscellaneous violations, such as failure to issue annual consumer confidence reports or maintain required records.

SDWA Table Key

Field Description
Compliance Period Dates of the compliance period.
Status Current status of the violation.
  • Resolved - The violation has at least one resolving enforcement action. In SDWIS, this indicates that either the system has returned to compliance from the violation, the rule that was violated was no longer applicable, or no further action was needed.
  • Archived - The violation is not Resolved, but is more than five years past its compliance period end date. In keeping with the Enforcement Response Policy, the violation no longer contributes to the public water system's overall compliance status. Unresolved violations are also marked as Archived when a system ceases operations (becomes inactive).
  • Addressed - The violation is not Resolved or Archived, and is addressed by one or more formal enforcement actions.
  • Unaddressed - The violation is not Resolved or Archived, and has not been addressed by formal enforcement.
show details
Health-Based? Whether the violation is health based.
Category Code
The category of violation that is reported.
  • TT - Treatment Technique Violation
  • MRDL - Maximum Residual Disinfectant Level
  • Other - Other Violation
  • MCL - Maximum Contaminant Level Violation
  • MR - Monitoring and Reporting
  • MON - Monitoring Violation
  • RPT - Reporting Violation
show details
Code A full description of violation codes can be accessed in the SDWA_REF_CODE_VALUES (CSV) table.
Contaminant Code A code value that represents a contaminant for which a public water system has incurred a violation of a primary drinking water regulation.
Rule Code Code for a National Drinking Water rule.
  • 110 - Total Coliform Rule
  • 121 - Surface Water Treatment Rule
  • 122 - Long Term 1 Enhanced Surface Water Treatment Rule
  • 123 - Long Term 2 Enhanced Surface Water Treatment Rule
  • 130 - Filter Backwash Rule
  • 140 - Ground Water Rule
  • 210 - Stage 1 Disinfectants and Disinfection Byproducts Rule
  • 220 - Stage 2 Disinfectants and Disinfection Byproducts Rule
  • 230 - Total Trihalomethanes
  • 310 - Volatile Organic Chemicals
  • 331 - Nitrates
  • 332 - Arsenic
  • 333 - Inorganic Chemicals
  • 320 - Synthetic Organic Chemicals
  • 340 - Radionuclides
  • 350 - Lead and Copper Rule
  • 410 - Public Notice Rule
  • 420 - Consumer Confidence Rule
  • 430 - Miscellaneous
  • 500 - Not Regulated
  • 111 - Revised Total Coliform Rule
show details
Rule Group Code Code that uniquely identifies a rule group.
  • 120 - Surface Water Treatment Rules
  • 130 - Filter Backwash Rule
  • 140 - Groundwater Rule
  • 210 - Stage 1 Disinfectants and Disinfection Byproducts Rule
  • 220 - Stage 2 Disinfectants and Disinfection Byproducts Rule
  • 230 - Total Trihalomethanes
  • 310 - Volatile Organic Chemicals
  • 320 - Synthetic Organic Chemicals
  • 330 - Inorganic Chemicals
  • 340 - Radionuclides
  • 350 - Lead and Copper Rule
  • 400 - Other
  • 500 - Not Regulated
  • 110 - Total Coliform Rules
  • 410 - Public Notice Rule
  • 420 - Consumer Confidence Rule
  • 430 - Miscellaneous
show details
Rule Family Code Code for rule family.
  • 100 - Microbials
  • 200 - Disinfectants and Disinfection Byproducts Rule
  • 300 - Chemicals
  • 400 - Other
  • 500 - Not Regulated
show details

For more clarification please visit the EPA's data dictionary.

Great Falls Water - Frequently Asked Questions

+
HOW DO I CONTACT GREAT FALLS CUSTOMER SERVICE?
To contact customer service for the Great Falls water provider, City of Great Falls, please use the information below.
By Mail: PO BOX 5021
GREAT FALLS, MT, 59403
HOW TO PAY BILL FOR CITY OF GREAT FALLS
Already have an account?

Existing customers can login to their City of Great Falls account to pay their Great Falls water bill by clicking here.

Want to create a new account?

If you want to pay your City of Great Falls bill online and haven't made an account yet, you can create an account online. Please click here to create your account to pay your Great Falls water bill.

Want to pay without an account?

If you don't want to make an account, or can't remember your account, you can make a one-time payment towards your Great Falls water bill without creating an account using a one time payment portal with your account number and credit or debit card. Click here to make a one time payment.

HOW TO START & STOP GREAT FALLS WATER SERVICE
Starting Your Service

Moving to a new house or apartment in Great Falls means you will often need to put the water in your name with City of Great Falls. In order to put the water in your name, please click the link to the start service form below. Start service requests for water bills typically take two business days.

Start Service Form

Want to create a new account?

Leaving your house or apartment in Great Falls means you will likely need to take your name off of the water bill with City of Great Falls. In order to take your name off the water bill, please click the link to the stop service form below. Stop service for water bills requests typically take two business days.

Stop Service Form

The estimated price of bottled water

+

$1.5 in USD (1.5-liter)

USER SUBMITTED RATINGS

Great Falls tap water
+
  • Drinking Water Pollution and Inaccessibility 25% Low
  • Water Pollution 29% Low
  • Drinking Water Quality and Accessibility 76% High
  • Water Quality 72% High

The above data is comprised of subjective, user submitted opinions about the water quality and pollution in Great Falls, measured on a scale from 0% (lowest) to 100% (highest).

Related FAQS

+

Contaminants


City of Great Falls

EWG's drinking water quality report shows results of tests conducted by the water utility and provided to the Environmental Working Group by the Montana Department of Environmental Quality, as well as information from the U.S. EPA Enforcement and Compliance History database (ECHO). For the latest quarter assessed by the U.S. EPA (January 2019 - March 2019), tap water provided by this water utility was in compliance with federal health-based drinking water standards.

Utility details

  • Serves: 60000
  • Data available: 2012-2017
  • Data Source: Surface water
  • Total: 22

Contaminants That Exceed Guidelines

  • Arsenic
  • Bromodichloromethane
  • Chloroform
  • Dibromochloromethane
  • Dichloroacetic acid
  • Total trihalomethanes (TTHMs)
  • Trichloroacetic acid

Other Detected Contaminants

  • 4-Androstene-3%2C17-dione
  • Barium
  • Bromochloroacetic acid
  • Chromium (hexavalent)
  • Dibromoacetic acid
  • Fluoride
  • Haloacetic acids (HAA5)
  • Molybdenum
  • Monobromoacetic acid
  • Monochloroacetic acid
  • Nitrate and nitrite
  • Radium%2C combined (-226 & -228)
  • Strontium
  • Uranium
  • Vanadium
+

Reminder

Always take extra precautions, the water may be safe to drink when it leaves the sewage treatment plant but it may pick up pollutants during its way to your tap. We advise that you ask locals or hotel staff about the water quality. Also, note that different cities have different water mineral contents.

+

Sources and Resources

Layer 1
Layer 1
Layer 1
Layer 1