What was found in Columbia Falls's water
The level at the city's main supplier, the highest level anywhere in the city, the EPA limit for each, and where every figure comes from.
| Contaminant | Level vs EPA limit | Suppliers | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nitrate-Nitrite | 715 µg/L 7.2% of the EPA limit 10000 µg/L Main supplier: COLUMBIA FALLS CITY OF · 4,450 people · 2019
Highest in the city: 2890 µg/L — EAST WOOD VILLAGE TRAILER PARK · 36 people · 2019 | 10/14 | SYR4 |
| Nitrate | 690 µg/L 6.9% of the EPA limit 10000 µg/L Main supplier: COLUMBIA FALLS CITY OF · 4,450 people · 2014
Highest in the city: 1280 µg/L — BIG SKY MOBILE MANOR · 35 people · 2016 | 7/14 | SYR4 |
| Copper | 193 µg/L 15% of the EPA limit 1300 µg/L Main supplier: COLUMBIA FALLS CITY OF · 4,450 people · 2018
Highest in the city: 516 µg/L — RIVERSIDE MOBILE HOME PARK · 100 people · 2019 | 14/14 | SYR4 |
| Barium | 210 µg/L 11% of the EPA limit 2000 µg/L Main supplier: COLUMBIA FALLS CITY OF · 4,450 people · 2017
Highest in the city: 387 µg/L — FLATHEAD COUNTY WATER DIST 101 · 210 people · 2013 | 10/14 | SYR4 |
| Fluoride | 74 µg/L 1.9% of the EPA limit 4000 µg/L Main supplier: COLUMBIA FALLS CITY OF · 4,450 people · 2017
Highest in the city: 166 µg/L — FLATHEAD COUNTY WATER DIST 101 · 210 people · 2013 | 11/14 | SYR4 |
| Arsenic | 9.8 µg/L 98% of the EPA limit 10 µg/L Highest in the city: ELK PARK VILLAGE · 35 people · 2017 | 3/14 | SYR4 |
| Lead | 4.8 µg/L 32% of the EPA limit 15 µg/L Main supplier: COLUMBIA FALLS CITY OF · 4,450 people · 2018
Highest in the city: 9.7 µg/L — BIG SKY MOBILE MANOR · 35 people · 2019 | 10/14 | SYR4 |
| Gross Alpha, Excl. Radon And U | 8.17 pCi/L 54% of the EPA limit 15 pCi/L Highest in the city: TIMBER RIDGE HOA · 30 people · 2019 | 9/14 | SYR4 |
| Combined Uranium | 6.95 µg/L 23% of the EPA limit 30 µg/L Highest in the city: RIVER BLUFF HOA WHITEFISH · 32 people · 2016 | 8/14 | SYR4 |
| TTHM | 3.8 µg/L 4.8% of the EPA limit 80 µg/L Highest in the city: EAST WOOD VILLAGE TRAILER PARK · 36 people · 2019 | 2/14 | SYR4 |
| Di(2-ethylhexyl) Phthalate | 3.5 µg/L 58% of the EPA limit 6 µg/L Main supplier: COLUMBIA FALLS CITY OF · 4,450 people · 2019 | 1/14 | SYR4 |
| Chloroform | 1.9 µg/L No EPA limit set Highest in the city: EAST WOOD VILLAGE TRAILER PARK · 36 people · 2019 | 1/14 | SYR4 |
| Combined Radium (-226 And -228) | 1.2 pCi/L 24% of the EPA limit 5 pCi/L Main supplier: COLUMBIA FALLS CITY OF · 4,450 people · 2018
Highest in the city: 1.9 pCi/L — BIG SKY MOBILE MANOR · 35 people · 2016 | 9/14 | SYR4 |
| Selenium | 1 µg/L 2% of the EPA limit 50 µg/L Highest in the city: MEADOW LAKE CO WATER AND SEWER DISTRICT · 950 people · 2019 | 1/14 | SYR4 |
| Toluene | 0.7000 µg/L 0.1% of the EPA limit 1000 µg/L Highest in the city: TIMBER RIDGE HOA · 30 people · 2019 | 1/14 | SYR4 |
| Dibromochloromethane | 0.6800 µg/L No EPA limit set Highest in the city: EAST WOOD VILLAGE TRAILER PARK · 36 people · 2019 | 2/14 | SYR4 |
| Bromoform | 0.6400 µg/L No EPA limit set Highest in the city: EAST WOOD VILLAGE TRAILER PARK · 36 people · 2019 | 1/14 | SYR4 |
| Bromodichloromethane | 0.5995 µg/L No EPA limit set Highest in the city: HIDEAWAY TR PK COLUMBIA FALLS · 75 people · 2019 | 2/14 | SYR4 |
| Lead | 0.0040 mg/L 27% of the EPA limit 0.0150 mg/L Main supplier: COLUMBIA FALLS CITY OF · 4,450 people · 2024
Highest in the city: 0.0050 mg/L — BIG SKY MOBILE MANOR · 35 people · 2019 | 14/14 | LCR |
Each bar shows the measured level as a share of the EPA limit: green is
well under, amber is close to it, red is over. For lead and copper the
limit applies to exactly the 90th-percentile figure shown, so red there
means a real exceedance. For everything else the limit applies to a
running annual average while the figure is the 95th percentile of the
system's samples — over 100% is worth reading, but is not by itself a
violation.
Formal violations are listed separately.
These are the utilities' own EPA-reported results, not a city-wide
average. A detection means the lab measured the
substance — it isn't the same as exceeding a legal limit. Hover a source
tag to see the EPA program and years behind each figure.
Water suppliers serving Columbia Falls
| Supplier | Population served |
|---|---|
| COLUMBIA FALLS CITY OF | 4,450 |
| MEADOW LAKE CO WATER AND SEWER DISTRICT | 950 |
| KOKANEE BEND HOA | 230 |
| FLATHEAD COUNTY WATER DIST 101 | 210 |
| COUNTRY ESTATES MBLE HOME PARK | 125 |
| RIVERSIDE MOBILE HOME PARK | 100 |
| HIDEAWAY TR PK COLUMBIA FALLS | 75 |
| HALFMOON MOBILE HOME PARK INC | 60 |
| PRAIRIE FALCON ACRES | 41 |
| EAST WOOD VILLAGE TRAILER PARK | 36 |
| ELK PARK VILLAGE | 35 |
| BIG SKY MOBILE MANOR | 35 |
| RIVER BLUFF HOA WHITEFISH | 32 |
| TIMBER RIDGE HOA | 30 |
Frequently asked questions about Columbia Falls tap water
Is Columbia Falls tap water safe to drink?
EPA testing detected 19 contaminants in the water serving Columbia Falls. A detection isn't the same as a violation — most detected levels are within federal limits. Check the level and source for each contaminant above, and your utility's annual Consumer Confidence Report for the official compliance status.
How many water suppliers serve Columbia Falls?
14 public water suppliers report drinking-water monitoring for Columbia Falls, Montana to the EPA. Each is listed above with its population served.
What contaminants are in Columbia Falls's water?
The contaminants EPA monitoring detected in Columbia Falls include Nitrate-Nitrite, Nitrate, Copper, Barium, Fluoride. The full list, with the level at the main supplier and the data source, is in the table above.
Where does this data come from?
Every figure is official EPA drinking-water monitoring — the Lead & Copper Rule, the UCMR-5 nationwide testing program, and the EPA Six-Year Review — not our own testing. Each number is labelled with its source and period.