Great Falls, MT Water Quality Report
Is Great Falls tap water safe? See PFAS and lead contamination levels for Great Falls, Montana. Compare to EPA limits and get filter recommendations.
Quick Answers
Is Great Falls tap water safe to drink? Great Falls water has high PFAS contamination. EPA UCMR5 testing detected a peak level of 80.8 ppt, significantly above the EPA's 4 ppt enforceable limit. A reverse osmosis or certified PFAS filter is strongly recommended.
What contaminants are in Great Falls water? Top PFAS compounds detected in Great Falls water: lithium (80.8 ppt), PFBA (0.01 ppt). See the full table for all monitored contaminants and comparison to EPA limits.
What filter should I use in Great Falls? Reverse osmosis removes 90%+ of PFAS, lead, and arsenic. NSF-53 certified pitcher and faucet filters (ZeroWater, Clearly Filtered, LifeStraw) work for smaller households. Skip standard Brita filters for PFAS removal.
Great Falls Water Quality Summary
EPA testing has detected PFAS "forever chemicals" in Great Falls drinking water. Recent monitoring found a peak level of 80.8 ppt across 2 water systems, representing an average of 49.04 ppt across 2 detected compounds.
Contamination Level: HIGH – High contamination – multiple PFAS compounds detected at levels significantly above EPA safety thresholds.
Top Detected Compounds
- lithium: 80.8 ppt (exceeds EPA 4 ppt limit for PFOA/PFOS)
- PFBA: 0.01 ppt
Lead in Great Falls Water
EPA Lead and Copper Rule testing has recorded 62 lead samples for Great Falls water systems, with a 90th-percentile high of 0.012 mg/L (within the EPA 0.015 mg/L action level). There is no safe level of lead for children; if your home was built before 1986, a certified NSF/ANSI 53 lead-removal filter is recommended.
EPA Violations in Great Falls
Great Falls public water systems have 19 health-based EPA Safe Drinking Water Act violations on record, including Total Organic Carbon, Chromium, Nitrite, Total Trihalomethanes (TTHMs), Lead & Copper Rule. Health-based violations mean a contaminant exceeded its federal limit or required treatment was not applied.
About the Data
These figures come from the EPA's Unregulated Contaminant Monitoring Rule 5 (UCMR5) testing program, 2023-2025. UCMR5 is the most comprehensive national drinking water survey in US history, covering 66,000+ public water systems. Population of Great Falls: approximately 59,351.
ZIP Codes Served
What Great Falls Residents Should Do
- Enter your exact ZIP code at knowyourexposure.com for address-level data
- Install an NSF/ANSI 58 reverse osmosis filter (removes 94-99% of PFAS)
- If you're in a high-exposure group (pregnant, young children), consider a PFAS home test kit
- Review your utility's Consumer Confidence Report (CCR) annually