Drinking water quality · 2024
· Verified
What's in Billings, MT tap water
18 contaminants were measured in the Billings, MT water system's 2024 annual report. Each is shown below against its federal limit — 4 sit at or above that limit.
- Reporting year
- 2024
- Contaminants measured
- 18
- Over federal limit
- 4
- Approaching the limit
- 0
- Worst contaminant
- pH
- Service area
- MT
PFAS — EPA UCMR5 (2023–2025)
1 PFAS compound detected in Billings, MT
The EPA finalized the first-ever federal drinking-water limits for six PFAS compounds in April 2024. These numbers come straight from EPA's UCMR5 lab dataset — every U.S. system serving more than 3,300 people tested every PFAS sample at an entry point to its distribution system. PFAS not listed below were either tested and not detected, or not yet sampled.
Lithium
● Detected (no federal limit)near national p90 (76.59999999999991 mg/L across detecting U.S. systems)
Where your water comes from · EPA SDWIS
Billings, MT's drinking water comes from surface water, drawn from 2 sources.
Source
- INTAKE 1 YELLOWSTONE RIVER
- INTAKE 2 EMERGENCY
Treatment
- TREATMENT PLANT FOR YELLOWSTONE RIVER
- TREATMENT PLANT CHAPPLE CHLORINE BOOSTER
- TREATMENT PLANT STAPLES CHLORINE BOOSTER
Distribution
Historical readings · EPA Six-Year Review (2012–2019)
2 contaminants historically over EPA limits in Billings, MT
Every U.S. public water system reports compliance-monitoring data to EPA. The Six-Year Review releases the 2012–2019 window as a single dataset — here's what your system reported, year by year. Values shown are the highest detection per analyte per year, compared to the federal MCL.
| Contaminant | Worst detection | EPA limit | Years (2012–2019) |
|---|---|---|---|
HAA5 worst: 2018 | 0.077 mg/L 1.3× | 0.06 mg/L | '12'13'14'15'16'17'18'19 |
TTHM worst: 2014 | 0.085 mg/L 1.1× | 0.08 mg/L | '12'13'14'15'16'17'18'19 |
ARSENIC worst: 2018 | 0.009 mg/L 90% near national p90 | 0.01 mg/L | '12'13'14'15'16'17'18'19 |
FLUORIDE worst: 2019 | 0.6 mg/L within | 4 mg/L | '12'13'14'15'16'17'18'19 |
NITRATE NITRITE worst: 2014 | 0.62 mg/L within | 10 mg/L | '12'13'14'15'16'17'18'19 |
NITRATE worst: 2019 | 0.39 mg/L within | 10 mg/L | '19 |
BARIUM worst: 2019 | 0.06 mg/L within below national p90 | 2 mg/L | '14'19 |
SELENIUM worst: 2012 | 0.001 mg/L within | 0.05 mg/L | '12'19 |
COPPER worst: 2014 | 0.319 mg/L below national p90 | — | '14'16'17 |
DCAA worst: 2012 | 0.019 mg/L | — | '12'13'14'15'16'17'18'19 |
LEAD worst: 2014 | 0.011 mg/L | — | '14'16'17 |
DBAA worst: 2012 | 0.00061 mg/L | — | '12'13'14'15'16'17'18'19 |
MBAA worst: 2014 | 0.0012 mg/L | — | '14'15'16 |
MCAA worst: 2012 | 0.0035 mg/L | — | '12'13'14'15'16'17'18'19 |
TCAA worst: 2012 | 0.03 mg/L | — | '12'13'14'15'16'17'18'19 |
BROMODICHLOROMETHANE worst: 2012 | 0.0127 mg/L | — | '12'13'14'15'16'17'18'19 |
CHLOROFORM worst: 2012 | 0.0396 mg/L | — | '12'13'14'15'16'17'18'19 |
DIBROMOCHLOROMETHANE worst: 2012 | 0.003 mg/L | — | '12'13'14'15'16'17'18'19 |
Physical & aggregate
| Contaminant | Measured | Federal limit | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| pHA measure of how acidic or basic the water is. | 7.44–8.29RangeRange Detected | 6.5MCL | At or above the limit |
| Total Dissolved SolidsTotal dissolved solids — the combined content of all dissolved minerals and salts. | 102–354 mg/LRangeRange Detected | 500 mg/LMCL | Within the limit |
| AlkalinityA measure of the water's capacity to neutralize acids. | 44–172 mg/LRangeRange Detected | None set | Detected — no federal limit |
| HardnessA measure of dissolved calcium and magnesium minerals. | 52–165 mg/LRangeRange Detected | None set | Detected — no federal limit |
Metals
| Contaminant | Measured | Federal limit | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| AluminumA common element sometimes used as a treatment coagulant. | 0–59.5 ug/LRangeRange Detected | 50 ug/LMCL | At or above the limit |
| MagnesiumA naturally occurring mineral that contributes to water hardness. | 0–13.6 mg/LRangeRange Detected | None set | Detected — no federal limit |
| PotassiumA naturally occurring mineral from rock and soil. | 1.23–3.34 mg/LRangeRange Detected | None set | Detected — no federal limit |
| SodiumA naturally occurring salt component. | 0–24 mg/LRangeRange Detected | None set | Detected — no federal limit |
Disinfectants
| Contaminant | Measured | Federal limit | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| ChlorineA disinfectant added to drinking water to kill bacteria and viruses. | 1.99 mg/LReported levelSystem-wide | 4 mg/LMRDLG | Within the limit |
Inorganic chemicals
People also ask about Billings, MT's water
+Is Billings, MT tap water safe to drink in 2024?
The 2024 Consumer Confidence Report for the Billings, MT water utility lists 4 contaminants at or above the federal limit: pH, Aluminum, TTHM, and HAA5. Whether that means the water is "unsafe" depends on which contaminant, how long the exposure, and individual health factors. The table on this page shows the measured value, the federal threshold, and the regulated statistic used for compliance.
+What contaminants are in Billings, MT tap water?
18 contaminants were measured in Billings, MT's 2024 Consumer Confidence Report, spanning metals, inorganic chemicals, and physical & aggregate. 13 have an enforceable federal limit; the rest are detected but unregulated. Every measured value, in the utility's own units, is on this page.
+Which contaminants exceed federal limits in Billings, MT tap water?
4 contaminants in Billings, MT's 2024 report sit at or above the federal limit: pH (1.3× the limit); Aluminum (1.2× the limit); TTHM (1.1× the limit); HAA5 (1.1× the limit). The EPA enforces these limits against the regulated reporting statistic — typically a running annual average or 90th percentile — not a one-off sample spike.
+What is the worst contaminant in Billings, MT tap water?
The contaminant with the highest measured value relative to its federal limit in the 2024 report is pH, at 1.3× the federal threshold. It belongs to the physical & aggregate family of contaminants.
+Where does the data on this page come from?
Every value is transcribed from Billings, MT's 2024 Consumer Confidence Report — the annual drinking-water report every U.S. public water utility is required by federal law to publish. The original source document is archived and viewable on this site. A water-quality report covers an entire service area, not a single address.
+How often is Billings, MT's water quality data updated?
Each U.S. public water utility publishes one Consumer Confidence Report per year, covering the prior calendar year's measurements. This page reflects the 2024 report; a new report will replace it once the utility publishes its next annual update.