Water System Report MT

Prairie Water Company

EPA ID: MT0003539 · 1,000 people served · 5 ZIP codes

Prairie Water Company's five-year compliance history is clean by every EPA metric — no health-based violations, no monitoring lapses, no enforcement actions on record, reflecting consistent performance for a utility that supplies water to approximately 1,000 residents year after year.

Data: EPA SDWIS Last verified: 2026-04-02

1,000
People Served
5
ZIP Codes Served
0
Violations (5yr)
Surface Water
Water Source
0
Contaminants Flagged
$237K
Median Home Value in Service Area

Service Area Map

Coverage area for Prairie Water Company Source: EPA SDWIS service area boundaries.

Service area boundary

Service Area Demographics

$60,509
Median Household Income
75,786
Service Area Population
41%
Disadvantaged Population
60th
Poverty Percentile
50th
Energy Burden Percentile
76%
Pre-1986 Housing

The Prairie Water Company serves a community with a median household income of $60,509 and an estimated 75,786 residents across its service area. Approximately 76% of housing stock was built before 1986, which increases the likelihood of lead service lines and older plumbing.

Environmental Justice Note: 41% 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.

🌊 Where Does Your Water Come From?

Surface Water

Prairie Water Company'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.

Moderate Risk
Source Contamination Risk
60th
Wastewater Discharge Proximity
80th
Superfund Site Proximity

About 1% of homes in Cascade County, Montana rely on private wells rather than public water systems. Private well owners are responsible for their own water testing and treatment.

Wastewater Proximity Note: This service area ranks in the 60th percentile nationally for proximity to wastewater discharge points. Surface water sources near wastewater outfalls may face additional treatment challenges.

Superfund Proximity Note: This service area ranks in the 80th percentile nationally for proximity to Superfund (NPL) sites.

Infrastructure Risk

55 yr
Avg Pipe Age
Unknown
Pipe Material
16 yr
Est. Remaining Life
Stable
Decay Status
Installed 77% of expected lifespan used End of life

PFAS Detected in Service Area

PFAS ("forever chemicals") have been detected in water serving this system's area. 1 detection recorded.

Health concern: PFAS are linked to cancer, thyroid disease, immune suppression, and developmental effects. They do not break down naturally.
Recommended filter: Reverse osmosis (RO) or activated carbon filters certified for PFAS removal. Find the right filter →

Comparable Water Systems

Similar-sized systems in Montana

Fairview Town of
1,000 people
C 2 violations
C 8 violations
City of Scobey
1,026 people
D 1 violation
C 1 violation
City of Harlowton
1,050 people
0 violations

Estimated Remediation Costs

Average estimated costs across ZIP codes served by this system

Radon Mitigation Flood Insurance Water Filtration PFAS Treatment
Radon Mitigation $1,200
Flood Insurance $960
Water Filtration $300
PFAS Treatment $100
Total Estimated Cost $2,560

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:

PFAS Exposure — Lifetime Cost $1,000

Per person (emerging research est.)

Estimated Cumulative Cost Per Household

5 years
$165
10 years
$330
20 years
$660

Compare: Estimated remediation cost is $2,560 (one-time) vs. $330 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

Prairie Water Company (EPA ID: MT0003539) is a community water system in Montana that serves approximately 1,000 people from surface water sources.

This system provides water to 5 ZIP codes across 1 community.

Violation History

No violations recorded — This water system has no recorded EPA violations in the past 5 years.

Lead & Copper

No Lead and Copper Rule sampling data available for this water system.

Need help with your water quality?

Typical cost: Water test: typically $20–$50 (DIY kit) · Professional inspection: $150–$400

Find the Right Water Filter

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

ZIP Codes Served

Coverage: 1 ZIP code 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.

Data Sources

This report uses public data from the EPA Safe Drinking Water Information System (SDWIS). View the full compliance record for Prairie Water Company (MT0003539) on EPA.gov.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Prairie Water Company water safe to drink?

Based on EPA records, Prairie Water Company has no recorded violations in the past 5 years — a positive indicator of water quality management.

How many people does Prairie Water Company serve?

Prairie Water Company serves approximately 1,000 people across 5 ZIP codes in Montana.

Where does Prairie Water Company get its water?

The primary water source is surface water.

Lead Service Line Inventory

Service line breakdown reported under the federal Lead and Copper Rule Improvements (LCRI) inventory requirement:

0
Confirmed Lead
0
Galvanized — Replacement Required
0
Unknown Material
4
Confirmed Non-Lead

This system reports zero confirmed lead service lines in its inventory. Unknown-material counts may still warrant verification.

Federal LCRI rule (effective October 2024) requires every public water system to inventory its service lines and complete lead-line replacement within 10 years.

Federal Regulatory Status · 2026Q1
LCRR inventory submission: Reported all required service line types
Latest tap sample on 2022-01-01 did not exceed the federal lead action level.
Population served: 1,000
Reported to Montana

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.

Learn about lead in drinking water →

Frequently Asked Questions

Should I use a water filter?
Prairie Water Company meets EPA standards, but a water filter can reduce trace contaminants below detectable levels for added peace of mind.
How many people does Prairie Water Company serve?
Prairie Water Company serves approximately 1,000 people with drinking water across 5 ZIP codes.
What is Prairie Water Company's water source?
Prairie Water Company draws water from surface water sources. Source type affects which contaminants are most likely to be present.
What is the demographic profile of Prairie Water Company's service area?
The Prairie Water Company service area has a median household income of $60,509. EPA EJScreen data classifies 41% of the population as disadvantaged, which may indicate greater vulnerability to environmental health risks.
Where does Prairie Water Company get its water?
Prairie Water Company'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. Based on available data, the source contamination risk is moderate.
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