Butte Silverbow Water Department
EPA ID: MT0000170 · 33,000 people served · 9 ZIP codes
With 2 unresolved EPA violations, Butte Silverbow Water Department is currently out of full compliance — approximately 33,000 people in its service area.
Data: EPA SDWIS Last verified: 2026-04-02
Service Area Map
Coverage area for Butte Silverbow Water Department Source: EPA SDWIS service area boundaries.
Service area boundary — Grade C
Service Area Demographics
The Butte Silverbow Water Department serves a community with a median household income of $58,087 and an estimated 44,993 residents across its service area. Approximately 60% of housing stock was built before 1986, which increases the likelihood of lead service lines and older plumbing.
🌊 Where Does Your Water Come From?
Butte Silverbow Water Department's water is drawn from rivers, lakes, or reservoirs. Surface water sources are more exposed to agricultural runoff, stormwater, and upstream discharges, but they typically receive more intensive treatment before reaching your tap.
About 1% of homes in Silver Bow County, Montana rely on private wells rather than public water systems. Private well owners are responsible for their own water testing and treatment.
Superfund Proximity Note: This service area ranks in the 79th percentile nationally for proximity to Superfund (NPL) sites.
Infrastructure Risk
Detected Contaminants
How Butte Silverbow Water Department compares to EPA limits
What This Means For You
Arsenic at 2 mg/L exceeds the EPA maximum of 0.01 mg/L.
Total Trihalomethanes (TTHM) at 2 mg/L exceeds the EPA maximum of 0.08 mg/L. Bladder & rectal cancer risk; reproductive concerns. Consider granular activated carbon (GAC) filtration.
Stage 1 DBP Rule at 2 mg/L exceeds the EPA maximum of mg/L.
Surface Water Treatment Rule at 2 mg/L exceeds the EPA maximum of mg/L.
Consumer Confidence Report Rule at 1 mg/L exceeds the EPA maximum of mg/L.
Total Trihalomethanes (TTHM) was detected in this water system. granular activated carbon (GAC) filtration can reduce exposure.
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Estimated Remediation Costs
Average estimated costs across ZIP codes served by this system
Based on national averages for common remediation projects. Actual costs vary by property. Only issues flagged by EPA, FEMA, or state data for each ZIP code are included.
System Overview
Butte Silverbow Water Department (EPA ID: MT0000170) is a community water system in Montana that serves approximately 33,000 people from surface water sources.
This system provides water to 9 ZIP codes across 5 communities.
Average Home Safety Score: C (55/100)
Based on water quality violations, lead levels, and radon risk across all ZIP codes served by this system.
Violation History
Recent Violations
| Date | Contaminant | Type | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| October 1, 2025 | Surface Water Treatment Rule | Monitoring | Unresolved |
| October 1, 2024 | Stage 1 DBP Rule | Monitoring | Resolved |
| January 1, 2024 | Total Trihalomethanes (TTHM) | Monitoring | Unresolved |
| January 1, 2024 | Arsenic | Monitoring | Resolved |
| October 1, 2023 | Stage 1 DBP Rule | Monitoring | Resolved |
Contaminants Detected
The following contaminants have been flagged in EPA records for this water system:
| Contaminant | Category | Violations | Health-Based |
|---|---|---|---|
| Arsenic | Inorganic | 2 | No |
| Total Trihalomethanes (TTHM) | Disinfection Byproducts | 2 | No |
| Stage 1 DBP Rule | Treatment Failure | 2 | No |
| Surface Water Treatment Rule | Treatment Failure | 2 | No |
| Consumer Confidence Report Rule | Reporting Failure | 1 | No |
| Contaminant 0700 | Other Violation | 1 | No |
Lead & Copper
EPA Lead and Copper Rule sampling data for ZIP codes served by this system:
| ZIP Code | Lead Level | Exceeds Limit | Sample Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| 59701 | 0.002 mg/L | No | N/A |
| 59702 | 0.002 mg/L | No | N/A |
| 59703 | 0.002 mg/L | No | N/A |
| 59707 | 0.002 mg/L | No | N/A |
| 59748 | 0.002 mg/L | No | N/A |
| 59750 | 0.002 mg/L | No | N/A |
Radon Risk in Service Area
Dominant radon zone for ZIP codes served by this system: Zone 1 (High Risk)
The EPA recommends testing homes in Zone 1 and Zone 2 areas for radon.
Need help with your water quality?
Typical cost: Water test: typically $20–$50 (DIY kit) · Professional inspection: $150–$400
Find the Right Water FilterFree tip: Let cold water run for 2 minutes before drinking — this helps flush lead from your pipes.
ZIP Codes Served
Coverage: 5 ZIP codes confirmed via EPA Community Water System Service Area Boundaries v3 plus 4 additional ZIPs inferred from SDWIS registry data. The EPA-confirmed set is the most reliable; SDWIS-inferred entries may be narrower than the real deployment area.
- 59701 — Butte
- 59702 — Butte
- 59703 — Butte
- 59707 — Butte
- 59711 — Anaconda
- 59727 — Divide
- 59748 — Ramsay
- 59750 — Butte
- 59762 — Wise River
Data Sources
This report uses public data from the EPA Safe Drinking Water Information System (SDWIS). View the full compliance record for Butte Silverbow Water Department (MT0000170) on EPA.gov.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Butte Silverbow Water Department water safe to drink?
Butte Silverbow Water Department has only monitoring/reporting violations, which are procedural in nature. The system meets federal health-based standards.
How many people does Butte Silverbow Water Department serve?
Butte Silverbow Water Department serves approximately 33,000 people across 9 ZIP codes in Montana.
Where does Butte Silverbow Water Department get its water?
The primary water source is surface water.
Contact Your Water Utility
Public-record contact information for the water utility serving this system. Use these channels to request water quality reports, ask about service, or report issues directly.
Contact information from Butte Silverbow Water Department Consumer Confidence Report.
ZipCheckup is not affiliated with this water utility, does not act as its agent, and does not provide customer support for it. Contact details shown are public-record information from CCR filings. For service issues, contact the utility directly using the information above.
Water Source & Treatment
Where this water originates and how it's treated before reaching your tap.
Source: Butte Silverbow Water Department Consumer Confidence Report.
ZipCheckup is not affiliated with this water utility. Treatment and source data are sourced from the utility's published CCR filings.
The source water is classified as highly sensitive to contamination. The Big Hole River is classified as A-1 surface water, South Fork of Divide Creek as B-1, and Basin Creek and Yankee Doodle Creek (with Moulton Reservoir) as A-Closed surface water.
Treatment regime
How this utility classifies its treatment process and what each reported treatment chemical does.
Treatment chemicals and what each one does
Chemical names are reported verbatim by the utility. Purpose categories are ZipCheckup annotations based on standard drinking-water treatment practice.
Watershed exposure sources reported
Land-use and natural conditions identified in the utility's source-water assessment as potential contamination sources upstream of treatment.
Treatment classification and chemical list sourced from Butte Silverbow Water Department Consumer Confidence Report.
Treatment intensity is a ZipCheckup-derived classification based on the chemicals and processes the utility reports. Chemicals and contamination sources are taken verbatim from the utility's CCR filing. Routine federal monitoring and contaminant testing shown elsewhere on this page determine whether the water meets safety standards, not the treatment classification.
Federal UCMR5 PFAS Monitoring: Tested Clean
This water system was tested under the federal EPA Unregulated Contaminant Monitoring Rule (UCMR5). No PFAS compounds were detected.
Current MCL reflects the lowest state-enforceable limit (NYS 10 ppt for PFOA/PFOS, effective August 2020). The federal final MCL of 4 ppt for PFOA/PFOS (EPA April 2024 rule) is not enforceable until April 2029. Detections above 4 ppt but below 10 ppt are below current MCL but above the future federal limit.
Source: U.S. EPA UCMR5 (Unregulated Contaminant Monitoring Rule, 5th cycle) — per-system federal sampling, 2023–2025. EPA UCMR5 monitoring program →
Lead Service Line Inventory
Service line breakdown reported under the federal Lead and Copper Rule Improvements (LCRI) inventory requirement:
Federal LCRI rule (effective October 2024) requires every public water system to inventory its service lines and complete lead-line replacement within 10 years.
Source: EPA SDWIS Federal Service Line Inventory (Phase 2) · Submitted 2026
ZipCheckup is not affiliated with the utility or state agency. Inventory figures render verbatim from the public LCRI submission cited above; ZipCheckup does not perform inspections or replacements.
Aesthetic water quality
These measurements describe the look, taste, and feel of the water this utility delivers. They are not contaminant violations — they sit alongside federal Secondary Maximum Contaminant Levels (SMCLs) which the EPA publishes as non-enforceable guidance.
Aesthetic measurements from Butte Silverbow Water Department Consumer Confidence Report.
Aesthetic measurements are reported by the utility from its annual sampling. EPA Secondary MCLs are advisory thresholds — values outside them indicate aesthetic concerns such as taste or appearance, not health violations. Federal contaminant testing is shown in the sections above.
How Water Systems Appear in Rankings
Water systems are evaluated by violation history, contaminant detections, and service population. Larger systems with more service connections appear in more rankings.
Frequently Asked Questions
What You Can Do
Test your water
Home test kits can detect lead, bacteria, and other contaminants at your tap. Find the right filter →
Check your specific ZIP code
Water quality can vary within a system. View nearest ZIP report →
Contact your utility
Butte Silverbow Water Department (EPA ID: MT0000170) — request the latest Consumer Confidence Report or ask about specific contaminants.