Lead Contamination

Lead in Montana Drinking Water

Ranked by 90th percentile lead level (ppb) · Data from EPA SDWIS & UCMR

115

Cities Tested

Exceeds Limit

% Exceeds Limit

2.4 ppb

State Avg

▼ 1% vs national

vs National

Health Violations

Analysis

Lead in Montana: what the data shows

Montana has 115 cities with lead monitoring data, with very few cities exceeding the EPA action level of 15 ppb. The state average 90th percentile lead level is 2.4 ppb, compared to 3.3 ppb nationally — better than the national average. 1 city exceeds the 15 ppb action level. High lead levels in tap water typically indicate aging infrastructure — lead service lines, lead solder in older plumbing, or lead-containing brass fixtures. There is no safe level of lead exposure for children. The 90th percentile measurement means that 90% of tap samples in a city are at or below the reported level. This is the standard EPA uses under the Lead and Copper Rule to determine if a water system needs to take corrective action. An NSF 53-certified pitcher or under-sink filter can effectively remove lead at the tap.

Comparison

Cities exceeding 15 ppb EPA Action Level

Montana

1 of 115 cities

← ▼ 1% below national rate (better)

National avg

378 of 15681 cities

City Map

Lead data across Montana

Each dot is a city, colored by overall water quality grade. Cities with lead levels above the 15 ppb EPA action level are highlighted. Size reflects population served.

Worst Offenders

Top 10 cities by lead level in Montana

Highest Lead levels (ppb)

All Cities

All Montana cities ranked by lead level

#	City	Level	Exceeds?	Violations	Grade
1	Roundup	41.0 ppb	Yes	0	C+
2	Corwin Springs	15.0 ppb	No	18	C+
3	Great Falls	12.0 ppb	No	64	F
4	Pablo	10.0 ppb	No	116	F
5	Medicine Lake	10.0 ppb	No	9	B
6	Clancy	7.0 ppb	No	68	F
7	Fort Harrison	7.0 ppb	No	0	B+
8	Helena	6.0 ppb	No	90	F
9	Warm Springs	6.0 ppb	No	0	B
10	Sidney	5.0 ppb	No	27	F
11	Lame Deer	5.0 ppb	No	54	F
12	Chester	5.0 ppb	No	26	D
13	Fromberg	5.0 ppb	No	5	C
14	Big Sky	4.8 ppb	No	17	F
15	Whitefish	4.0 ppb	No	42	F
16	Dillon	4.0 ppb	No	36	F
17	Choteau	4.0 ppb	No	5	B-
18	Seeley Lake	4.0 ppb	No	6	B+
19	Billings	3.0 ppb	No	51	F
20	Missoula	3.0 ppb	No	189	F
21	Havre	3.0 ppb	No	151	F
22	West Yellowstone	3.0 ppb	No	10	D
23	Laurel	3.0 ppb	No	6	C+
24	Culbertson	3.0 ppb	No	6	B+
25	Glasgow	3.0 ppb	No	5	C+
26	Red Lodge	3.0 ppb	No	4	B
27	Lakeside	3.0 ppb	No	20	B+
28	Baker	3.0 ppb	No	1	D+
29	Big Timber	3.0 ppb	No	6	B+
30	Absarokee	3.0 ppb	No	4	B+
31	Ballantine	3.0 ppb	No	8	C+
32	Ballantine	3.0 ppb	No	8	C+
33	Joliet	3.0 ppb	No	0	A-
34	Stanford	3.0 ppb	No	3	C-
35	Belgrade	2.8 ppb	No	27	F
36	Bozeman	2.0 ppb	No	57	F
37	Butte	2.0 ppb	No	4	B+
38	Hamilton	2.0 ppb	No	20	D+
39	Deer Lodge	2.0 ppb	No	7	D
40	Shelby	2.0 ppb	No	50	D
41	Lolo	2.0 ppb	No	14	D+
42	East Helena	2.0 ppb	No	9	D+
43	Troy	2.0 ppb	No	6	B+
44	Harlowton	2.0 ppb	No	9	C+
45	Forsyth	2.0 ppb	No	5	A-
46	Three Forks	2.0 ppb	No	2	A
47	Malta	2.0 ppb	No	0	D
48	Plains	2.0 ppb	No	0	B+
49	Fort Benton	2.0 ppb	No	1	B+
50	Whitehall	2.0 ppb	No	64	D+
51	Huntley	2.0 ppb	No	2	B+
52	Gardiner	2.0 ppb	No	0	A
53	Cascade	2.0 ppb	No	0	A
54	Circle	2.0 ppb	No	1	A-
55	Sheridan	2.0 ppb	No	0	C-
56	Sun River	2.0 ppb	No	2	A-
57	Kalispell	1.0 ppb	No	162	F
58	Anaconda	1.0 ppb	No	12	D+
59	Livingston	1.0 ppb	No	40	D
60	Glendive	1.0 ppb	No	16	D
61	Polson	1.0 ppb	No	26	D+
62	Harlem	1.0 ppb	No	237	D
63	Eureka	1.0 ppb	No	16	C-
64	Colstrip	1.0 ppb	No	2	A-
65	Stevensville	1.0 ppb	No	13	B-
66	Townsend	1.0 ppb	No	3	B
67	Frenchtown	1.0 ppb	No	28	C+
68	West Glacier	1.0 ppb	No	1	A
69	Philipsburg	1.0 ppb	No	19	F
70	Fairfield	1.0 ppb	No	0	B-
71	Somers	1.0 ppb	No	4	A-
72	Superior	1.0 ppb	No	0	A
73	Ashland	1.0 ppb	No	49	D+
74	Fairview	1.0 ppb	No	4	B+
75	Fort Peck	1.0 ppb	No	9	B-
76	Valier	1.0 ppb	No	21	B
77	Pinesdale	1.0 ppb	No	17	B
78	St Ignatius	1.0 ppb	No	10	B
79	Sunburst	1.0 ppb	No	5	B
80	Alberton	1.0 ppb	No	2	A-
81	Miles City	0.0 ppb	No	15	C+
82	Browning	0.0 ppb	No	40	F
83	Bigfork	0.0 ppb	No	20	A-
84	Columbia Falls	0.0 ppb	No	23	D
85	Lewistown	0.0 ppb	No	99	D
86	Libby	0.0 ppb	No	50	F
87	Poplar	0.0 ppb	No	8	B
88	Wolf Point	0.0 ppb	No	13	B
89	Box Elder	0.0 ppb	No	21	B-
90	Cut Bank	0.0 ppb	No	29	D
91	Hardin	0.0 ppb	No	6	F
92	Conrad	0.0 ppb	No	29	D
93	Ronan	0.0 ppb	No	14	C-
94	Manhattan	0.0 ppb	No	8	D+
95	Thompson Falls	0.0 ppb	No	27	B+
96	Columbus	0.0 ppb	No	8	D
97	Crow Agency	0.0 ppb	No	43	D
98	Black Eagle	0.0 ppb	No	11	B
99	Plentywood	0.0 ppb	No	0	B+
100	Ennis	0.0 ppb	No	3	B+
101	Virginia City	0.0 ppb	No	11	C+
102	Boulder	0.0 ppb	No	6	B+
103	Chinook	0.0 ppb	No	15	B
104	Hungry Horse	0.0 ppb	No	1	A-
105	Darby	0.0 ppb	No	26	C
106	White Sulphur Springs	0.0 ppb	No	44	D+
107	Scobey	0.0 ppb	No	0	A-
108	Bridger	0.0 ppb	No	0	A-
109	Belt	0.0 ppb	No	10	B+
110	Vaughn	0.0 ppb	No	0	B+
111	Santa Rita	0.0 ppb	No	0	A-
112	Big Sandy	0.0 ppb	No	2	A
113	Hot Springs	0.0 ppb	No	1	A-
114	Sand Coulee	0.0 ppb	No	10	C-
115	Wibaux	0.0 ppb	No	9	D+

FAQ

Frequently asked questions about lead in Montana

Is lead in Montana tap water a concern?

Yes — 1 of 115 cities with lead data exceed the EPA action level of 15 ppb. The state average is 2.4 ppb. Even below the action level, lead poses health risks especially for children and pregnant women. If your home was built before 1986, consider testing your tap water directly.

How can I reduce lead exposure from Montana tap water?

Use an NSF 53-certified water filter, which is specifically certified to reduce lead. Run your cold tap for 30 seconds before drinking or cooking, especially if water has been sitting in pipes for hours. Never use hot tap water for cooking or making baby formula, as heat increases lead leaching from pipes.

Which Montana cities have the highest lead levels?

The cities with the highest 90th percentile lead levels in Montana are: Roundup (41.0 ppb), Corwin Springs (15.0 ppb), Great Falls (12.0 ppb), Pablo (10.0 ppb), Medicine Lake (10.0 ppb). See the full ranked table above.

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