Great Falls, MT - Home Safety Score unavailable
5 ZIP codes · 6 water systems · Updated
Data: EPA SDWIS
Great Falls Water: The Quick Version
- Your city's water systems recorded 87 violations in the past 5 years.
- Average lead level: 0.012 mg/L.
- Homes built before 1986: 76% - older plumbing may contain lead solder.
- Estimated remediation: $2,560 per household.
- CDC health risk index: 13.14 - above typical levels.
Water Systems Serving Great Falls
Residential water in Great Falls, MT is supplied by 3 separate utilities - not one centralized authority. Each of those providers operates under its own service territory boundary, maintains its own distribution infrastructure, and files compliance documentation with the EPA on its own timeline. Federal data counts 6 water systems in the area, with these providers collectively accounting for the dominant share of household connections.
Overview
We track home safety data for 5 ZIP codes in Great Falls, Montana, covering 6 community water systems serving approximately 75,786 people. The EPA snapshots used for this build directly map water systems to 3 of 5 ZIP codes.
2 of 3 ZIP codes with a reported violation count in the available EPA record (67%) have recorded EPA violations. 2 health-based violations appear in the available health breakdown.
Water Sources
Great Falls water systems draw from: Groundwater, Surface water.
Lead & Copper
- Average lead level (90th percentile): 0.0120 mg/L (EPA action level: 0.015 mg/L)
- 0 of 3 ZIP codes with known status exceed the EPA lead action level
Radon Risk
Dominant radon zone: Zone 1 (High Risk)
- Zone 1 (High): 5 ZIP codes
- Zone 2 (Moderate): 0 ZIP codes
- Zone 3 (Low): 0 ZIP codes
The EPA recommends testing homes in Zone 1 and Zone 2 areas for radon.
Top Contaminants
| Contaminant | Category | Violations | ZIPs Affected |
|---|---|---|---|
| Surface Water Treatment Rule | Treatment Technique | 29 | 2 |
| Stage 1 DBP Rule | Treatment Technique | 13 | 2 |
| Arsenic | Inorganic | 8 | 1 |
| Consumer Confidence Report Rule | Reporting | 7 | 2 |
| Total Coliform | Microbiological | 6 | 1 |
Areas with Most Violations
| ZIP Code | Safety Score | Violations | Health-Based | System |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 59404 | — | 82 | 2 | City of Great Falls |
| 59405 | — | 5 | 0 | City of Great Falls |
Areas with No Violations
| ZIP Code | Safety Score | System | Population |
|---|---|---|---|
| 59401 | — | City of Great Falls | 60,000 |
All ZIP Codes in Great Falls
Data Sources
- Water quality: EPA Safe Drinking Water Information System (SDWIS)
- Lead/copper: EPA Lead and Copper Rule sampling data
- Radon: EPA Map of Radon Zones
Reporting periods vary by source. Missing data is shown as unavailable, not as zero.
CDC Health Data for Great Falls
Source: CDC PLACES (County-level estimates). Water contamination can correlate with respiratory and chronic health conditions.
Compared to National Average
Vertical line = national average. ■ Above national · ■ Below national
Key Contaminants Detected in Great Falls
Based on EPA violation records. Check your ZIP code report for system-specific contaminant data.
How Old Is Great Falls's Housing Stock?
With 76% of homes built before 1986, lead solder in plumbing is a potential concern. The EPA banned lead solder in 1986, but many older homes retain original plumbing.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey (ACS).
Housing Age Profile
Federal plumbing rules changed in two stages - lead pipes were phased out before 1970, and lead solder was banned in 1986 - but in Great Falls, where the median build year is 1965, most of the housing was already in place before those rules took effect. The materials installed under older standards remain embedded in a substantial portion of the residential inventory today.
Over half of homes in Great Falls were built before 1986, when lead solder was banned. Older plumbing may leach lead into drinking water, especially with corrosive water chemistry.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS B25034.
Great Falls: Remediation Cost in Perspective
Although the Great Falls remediation share is moderate, it remains reachable for most homeowners who plan for the expense in advance.
Remediation costs are moderate relative to home values in Great Falls. The estimated $1,650–$3,700 range is manageable for most homeowners but still worth budgeting for. Home values are 20% below the Montana average.
Protecting Children from Lead in Great Falls
Why children are most at risk: The CDC states there is no safe level of lead exposure for children. Children under 6 absorb lead more readily than adults, and even low levels can cause developmental delays, learning difficulties, and behavioral problems.
Locally, 76% of Great Falls homes carry interior plumbing from the era when lead solder was still permitted in new builds, and citywide monitoring approaches or crosses the EPA action benchmark. Households can find a draw-test kit and certified filtration through verified retailers.
Sources: EPA Lead and Copper Rule, U.S. Census Bureau ACS, CDC childhood lead poisoning prevention guidelines.
Historical Flood-Claim Evidence for Great Falls
Historical NFIP data for Great Falls contains 187 flood insurance claims. Among claims with payment data, the average reported building, contents, and ICC component sum is $3,138. Among ZIP codes with claim records, 50% have an A- or V-family dominant rated zone recorded in those historical claims. This is not a complete current FEMA property-map inventory.
How flooding affects water quality: Flood events can introduce sewage, agricultural runoff, and industrial chemicals into water supplies. Even after floodwaters recede, contamination can persist in wells and aging infrastructure. The <strong>$2,560</strong> remediation estimate shown here excludes flood insurance and is not derived from NFIP claim count.
Claim count does not establish current property risk. Check the exact address in FEMA's current map and obtain a property-specific insurance quote when relevant.
Source: historical FEMA National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) claim records. No current FEMA property-map designation is asserted.
Deep Dive Reports
Detailed analysis for Great Falls, MT