Historical Compliance Records MT

City of Polson

EPA ID: MT0000308 ยท 5,300 people served ยท 1 ZIP code

ZipCheckup's reading of EPA SDWIS for City of Polson (MT0000308): 2 EPA violations in the last five years. Over the tracked period, City of Polson logged 2 EPA violations - each has been remedied, and the system now supplies 5,300 people in good standing.

Data: EPA SDWIS

C ยท 63
Avg Safety Score
5,300
People Served
1
ZIP Code Served
2
Violations (5yr)
Groundwater
Water Source
0.002 mg/L
Max Lead Level
Zone 1
Radon Risk ยท High
2
Contaminants Flagged
$386K
Median Home Value in Service Area

Service Area Map

Coverage area for City of Polson Source: EPA SDWIS service area boundaries.

Service area boundary - Grade C

Service Area Demographics

$59,883
Median Household Income
11,580
Service Area Population
75%
Disadvantaged Population
70th
Poverty Percentile
80th
Energy Burden Percentile
53%
Pre-1986 Housing

The City of Polson serves a community with a median household income of $59,883 and an estimated 11,580 residents across its service area. Approximately 53% of housing stock was built before 1986, which increases the likelihood of lead service lines and older plumbing.

Environmental Justice Note: 75% of the population in this service area is classified as disadvantaged under EPA's EJScreen criteria. Communities with higher disadvantaged populations often face disproportionate environmental and health burdens, including aging water infrastructure and limited resources for remediation.

๐Ÿ’ง Where Does Your Water Come From?

Groundwater

City of Polson's water is pumped from underground aquifers. Groundwater is naturally filtered through rock and soil, but it can be vulnerable to PFAS contamination, nitrates from agriculture, and industrial chemicals that seep into the water table.

Low Risk
Source Contamination Risk
10th
Wastewater Discharge Proximity
20th
Superfund Site Proximity

Infrastructure Risk

40 yr
Avg Pipe Age
Copper
Pipe Material
30 yr
Est. Remaining Life
Stable
Decay Status
Installed 57% of expected lifespan used End of life

Detected Contaminants

How City of Polson compares to EPA limits

Arsenic 1 mg/L (EXCEEDS LIMIT)
0 EPA Limit: 0.01 mg/L

What This Means For You

Arsenic at 1 mg/L exceeds the EPA maximum of 0.01 mg/L.

Surface Water Treatment Rule at 1 mg/L exceeds the EPA maximum of mg/L.

Comparable Water Systems

Similar-sized systems in Montana

City of Sidney
5,000 people
C 0 violations
City of Hamilton
5,660 people
C 0 violations
City of Libby
4,892 people
C 25 violations
City of Glendive
4,873 people
C 1 violation
0 violations

Estimated Remediation Costs

Average estimated costs across ZIP codes served by this system

Flood Insurance Radon Mitigation
Flood Insurance $1,800
Radon Mitigation $1,200
Total Estimated Cost $3,000

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.

Cost of Inaction

If water quality issues in this service area are not addressed, the estimated financial impact per household is:

Estimated Healthcare Costs $500

Annual per household (CDC est.)

Estimated Cumulative Cost Per Household

5 years
$2,500
10 years
$5,000
20 years
$10,000

Compare: Estimated remediation cost is $3,000 (one-time) vs. $5,000 in estimated inaction costs over 10 years.

Estimates based on published EPA, CDC, and peer-reviewed research. Individual costs vary by household size, property, and health factors. These are conservative lower-bound estimates intended for awareness, not financial advice.

System Overview

City of Polson (EPA ID: MT0000308) is a community water system in Montana that serves approximately 5,300 people from groundwater sources.

This system serves ZIP code 59860 in Polson.

ZIP-Area Home Safety Context: C (63/100)

This is the average Home Safety Score for 1 of 1 service-area ZIP codes with all required score domains observed. It is not a grade for the water utility.

Model 4.0.0 uses SDWIS identity plus accepted ECHO SDWA lifecycle-based water compliance, the UCMR 5 PFAS MCL screen, EPA radon zone, and annual EPA AirData AQI across three equally weighted domains. Missing required evidence suppresses the score.

Violation History

No current noncompliance in the accepted 2026Q2 snapshot. The 2 records in the 2021-2026 window are classified as resolved or archived, not current.

Status breakdown for accepted records with record years 2021-2026: 2 resolved, 0 archived, 0 addressed, and 0 unaddressed. Under this source contract, current noncompliance is the sum of addressed and unaddressed records. Archived and resolved records are excluded from current noncompliance.

Recent Violations

Date Contaminant Type Status
October 1, 2025 Surface Water Treatment Rule Non-health-based Resolved
January 1, 2024 Arsenic Non-health-based Resolved

Contaminants Detected

The following contaminants have been flagged in EPA records for this water system:

Contaminant Category Violations Health-Based
Arsenic Inorganic 1 No
Surface Water Treatment Rule Treatment Failure 1 No

Lead & Copper

EPA Lead and Copper Rule evidence attributed directly to this water system:

Lead Level Exceeds Action Level Sample Date
0.002 mg/L No N/A

No copper action-level exceedance record appears for this PWSID in the accepted LCR snapshot. This does not establish a clean copper measurement.

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 $20โ€“$50 (DIY kit) ยท Professional inspection: $150โ€“$400

Find the Right Water Filter

Free tip: Let cold water run for 2 minutes before drinking โ€” this helps flush lead from your pipes.

ZIP Codes Served

Coverage: Service area ZIP codes sourced from EPA Community Water System Service Area Boundaries v3 (March 2026 release). These ZIPs reflect the actual deployment footprint recorded by MT or modeled from parcel and building-footprint data.

Data Sources

This report uses public data from the EPA Safe Drinking Water Information System (SDWIS). View the full compliance record for City of Polson (MT0000308) on EPA.gov.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is City of Polson water safe to drink?

The accepted 2026Q2 ECHO snapshot shows no current noncompliance for City of Polson; its 2 accepted 2021-2026 records are resolved or archived. Historical compliance status does not establish conditions at a specific tap.

How many people does City of Polson serve?

City of Polson serves approximately 5,300 people across 1 ZIP code in Montana.

Where does City of Polson get its water?

The primary water source is groundwater.

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.

Samples collected
145

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) โ€” per-system federal sampling, 2023โ€“2025. EPA UCMR5 monitoring program โ†’

Understand PFAS health context and filtration โ†’

Frequently Asked Questions

Is water from City of Polson safe to drink?
City of Polson has a C safety grade based on 2 recorded violations. Some contaminants may exceed EPA limits - independent testing is recommended.
What contaminants are in City of Polson's water?
Detected contaminants include Arsenic, Surface Water Treatment Rule. Each is compared against EPA maximum contaminant levels (MCLs) in the detailed breakdown above.
Should I use a water filter?
Given 2 contaminants above EPA limits, a certified water filter can provide an extra layer of protection. The best type depends on specific contaminants in your water.
How many people does City of Polson serve?
City of Polson serves approximately 5,300 people with drinking water across 1 ZIP code.
What is City of Polson's water source?
City of Polson draws water from groundwater sources. Source type affects which contaminants are most likely to be present.
Is there lead in City of Polson's water?
The maximum detected lead level is 0.002 mg/L. This is within EPA action level guidelines.
What is the demographic profile of City of Polson's service area?
The City of Polson service area has a median household income of $59,883. EPA EJScreen data classifies 75% of the population as disadvantaged, which may indicate greater vulnerability to environmental health risks.
Where does City of Polson get its water?
City of Polson's water is pumped from underground aquifers. Groundwater is naturally filtered through rock and soil, but it can be vulnerable to PFAS contamination, nitrates from agriculture, and industrial chemicals that seep into the water table.

How to cite this page

APA ZipCheckup. (n.d.). City of Polson (MT): 2 EPA Violations. https://zipcheckup.com/water-system/mt0000308/
BibTeX
@misc{zipcheckup-water-system-mt0000308,
  author = {{ZipCheckup}},
  title  = {{City of Polson (MT): 2 EPA Violations}},
  year   = {n.d.},
  url    = {https://zipcheckup.com/water-system/mt0000308/}
}

What You Can Do

1

Test your water

Home test kits can detect lead, bacteria, and other contaminants at your tap. Find the right filter โ†’

2

Check your specific ZIP code

Water quality can vary within a system. View nearest ZIP report โ†’

3

Contact your utility

City of Polson (EPA ID: MT0000308) - request the latest Consumer Confidence Report or ask about specific contaminants.

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