Montana
Montana sits in the West and draws its water primarily from Missouri River headwaters, snowpack, and aquifers. With roughly 1.13 million residents, the state has minimal formal water reuse to date, reusing an estimated 3% of its treated wastewater.
Montanawater quality & safety
Top violation drivers in Montana
| Contaminant / rule | Systems |
|---|---|
| Revised Total Coliform Rule | 69 |
| Groundwater Rule | 37 |
| Nitrate-Nitrite | 18 |
| Total Haloacetic Acids (HAA5) | 16 |
| TTHM | 15 |
| Surface Water Treatment Rule | 11 |
Source: EPA Safe Drinking Water Information System (SDWIS) · 2026 Q1 · health-based violations since 2016
Irrigation dominates use; shrinking snowpack affects downstream timing across the Missouri basin.
On the U.S. Drought Monitor scale, Montana currently tracks around severe to extreme conditions. Montana has 813 community water systems serving about 1 million people; EPA records show 165 of them (20.3%) with a health-based Safe Drinking Water Act violation since 2016. The pages below break down the water issues that matter most here and the communities working on solutions.
Drought history — severe+ extent
% of Montana in severe drought or worse (D2+) each late summer.
Source: U.S. Drought Monitor (NDMC/UNL, USDA, NOAA) · latest 2026-06-09
Water use (USGS 2015)
- Per-capita (public supply)
- 210 gpcd
- Total withdrawals
- 9.8 Bgal/d
- From groundwater
- 1.9%
- Irrigation share
- 96.3%
- Wastewater reused (est.)
- ~3%
Primary water sources
- ≈ Missouri River headwaters
- ≈ snowpack
- ≈ aquifers
Common questions
Is tap water safe in Montana?
Montana has 813 community water systems serving about 1 million people. EPA records show 165 of them (20.3%) with at least one health-based Safe Drinking Water Act violation since 2016, and 7 system(s) over the federal lead action level. Most large systems meet standards; check your specific city and your utility's annual report.
What contaminants are most common in Montana's water?
The most frequent health-based violations involve Revised Total Coliform Rule, Groundwater Rule, Nitrate-Nitrite.
How much water does Montana use per person?
Public water systems in Montana withdraw about 210 gallons per person per day (USGS 2015), drawing 1.9% of fresh water from groundwater.
How bad is the drought in Montana?
As of 2026-06-09, 74.6% of Montana is in drought (D1+) and 28.9% is in severe drought or worse, per the U.S. Drought Monitor.
Cities in Montana
6 trackedBillings
Billings, MT water profile — supply sources, drought status, wastewater reuse, and the key water issues facing the city.
Missoula
Missoula, MT water profile — supply sources, drought status, wastewater reuse, and the key water issues facing the city.
Great Falls
Great Falls, MT water profile — supply sources, drought status, wastewater reuse, and the key water issues facing the city.
Bozeman
Bozeman, MT water profile — supply sources, drought status, wastewater reuse, and the key water issues facing the city.
Butte
Butte, MT water profile — supply sources, drought status, wastewater reuse, and the key water issues facing the city.
Helena
Helena, MT water profile — supply sources, drought status, wastewater reuse, and the key water issues facing the city.
Key issues in Montana
Agricultural Demand
Agriculture accounts for the majority of consumptive water use in the West, making farm efficiency and water markets central to any supply solution.
ExploreDrought
Much of the American West is in a multi-decade dry period that researchers describe as the most severe in over a millennium, reshaping how communities plan for water.
Explore