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City of Cut Bank

What EPA’s and Montana’s records show in this utility’s water: nitrate, arsenic and other regulated chemicals; lead and copper; and violations since 2016, with the certification that handles each result.

Serves
3,105 people
Connections
1,526
Water source
Surface water
Based in
Cut Bank, MT
County
Glacier
Owner
Local government
The ZIP code it serves

59427

The short answer

2 results are above the health goal. The worst: Arsenic, above the health goal. No health-based violations on file since 2016.

What handles it

What was found

Arsenic, haloacetic acids (HAA5), total trihalomethanes (TTHM), nitrate, fluoride and chromium (total): Montana’s own results, samples taken from March 11, 2020 to Sept. 23, 2026, with EPA’s 2012 to 2019 file for earlier years.

Uranium: EPA’s compliance monitoring file, samples taken from Nov. 18, 2013 to Feb. 6, 2018. Newer results are in the utility’s annual water quality report.

Above the health goal2

Arsenic

Comes from the source

Above the health goal

1.0ppb

Highest yearly average, 2020 to 2026

Averaged by year, the highest was 1.0 ppb, in 2026: below EPA’s legal limit of 10 ppb, but above its health goal of zero. That was also the latest year on file. Earlier, from 2012 to 2019, EPA’s file shows a highest yearly average of 1.0 ppb, in 2012.

What handles it

  • NSF/ANSI 58 look for “Arsenic (Pentavalent)<=50 ppb Reduction”
  • NSF/ANSI 53 look for “Arsenic (Pentavalent)<=50 ppb Reduction”

Uranium

Comes from the source

Above the health goal

3.0ppb

Highest yearly average, 2013 to 2018

2018, one sample: 2.0 ppb

Averaged by year, the highest was 3.0 ppb, in 2013: below EPA’s legal limit of 30 ppb, but above its health goal of zero. In 2018, the latest year on file, its one sample was 2.0 ppb.

What handles it

Below EPA’s limits4

Haloacetic acids (HAA5)

Forms or is added in treatment

Below EPA’s limits

26ppb

Highest yearly average, 2020 to 2026

2026, one sample: 15 ppb

Averaged by year, the highest was 26 ppb, in 2025, below EPA’s legal limit of 60 ppb. In 2026, the latest year on file, its one sample was 15 ppb. Earlier, from 2012 to 2019, EPA’s file shows a highest yearly average of 43.8 ppb, in 2012.

What handles it

No certification claim covers this compound yet.

Total trihalomethanes (TTHM)

Forms or is added in treatment

Below EPA’s limits

21.5ppb

Highest yearly average, 2020 to 2026

2026 average: 12.5 ppb

Averaged by year, the highest was 21.5 ppb, in 2025, below EPA’s legal limit of 80 ppb. Its highest single sample was 33 ppb. In 2026, the latest year on file, its two samples averaged 12.5 ppb. Earlier, from 2012 to 2019, EPA’s file shows a highest yearly average of 46.9 ppb, in 2012.

What handles it

  • NSF/ANSI 53 look for “Trihalomethanes (TTHM) Reduction”
  • NSF/ANSI 58 look for “Trihalomethanes (TTHM) Reduction”

Nitrate

Comes from the source

Below EPA’s limits

0.64ppm

Highest sample; found in 6 of 7

2026: not found

The highest sample, in 2021, was 0.64 ppm, below EPA’s legal limit of 10 ppm. In 2026, the latest year on file, it wasn’t found in its one sample. Earlier, from 2012 to 2019, EPA’s file shows a highest sample of 0.66 ppm, in 2014.

What handles it

  • NSF/ANSI 58 look for “Nitrate/Nitrite Reduction”
  • NSF/ANSI 53 look for “Nitrate/Nitrite (30 ppm challenge)”

Fluoride

Forms or is added in treatment

Below EPA’s limits

0.2ppm

Highest yearly average, 2020 to 2024

2024, one sample: 0.1 ppm

Averaged by year, the highest was 0.2 ppm, in 2020, below EPA’s legal limit of 4.0 ppm. In 2024, the latest year on file, its one sample was 0.1 ppm.

What handles it

2 compounds tested and not foundBelow the reporting level in every sample. Not found is not the same as zero.
  • Chromium (total)
  • Lead

What handles it

A certification covers specific claims, not a whole standard. Look for these claims on the certifier’s listing, not the box. Wording varies a little: NSF writes “Lead Reduction,” WQA just “Lead.”

  • NSF/ANSI 53

    Claim: Arsenic (Pentavalent)<=50 ppb Reduction

    For: Arsenic

    Other certifiers’ wording: Arsenic (III) (50 ppb influent level)

  • NSF/ANSI 58

    Claims: Arsenic (Pentavalent)<=50 ppb Reduction, Uranium

    For: Arsenic, Uranium

    Other certifiers’ wording: Arsenic (Pentavalent)<=300 ppb Reduction; Arsenic (V) (300 ppb influent level)

At the tap, or for the whole house?

These come with the water itself, so a whole-house system certified for the same claims treats every tap and shower. A filter at the tap treats drinking water for much less. How whole-house systems compare.

Filters with those claims on a certifier’s listing

Disclosure: TapBuff earns a commission if you buy through some links on this page. It does not change which standard or filter we name. As an Amazon Associate, TapBuff earns from qualifying purchases. How TapBuff makes money

Compare five-year costs

The best reverse osmosis systems, ranked

Violations since 2016

No health-based violations on file with EPA since 2016. There are 2 monitoring or reporting violations: a sample missed, late or not reported.

What this report can’t tell you

  • Everything else. Arsenic, haloacetic acids (HAA5), total trihalomethanes (TTHM), nitrate, fluoride and chromium (total) results here are Montana’s own from 2020 on, with EPA’s national file for 2012 to 2019. Uranium comes from EPA’s file alone, which ends in 2019. City of Cut Bank’s own annual report, which it must send you every year, has newer results for those and the contaminants this page does not show.

  • Your own plumbing. Lead results are the 90th percentile across homes the utility samples. Your home’s service line, solder and fixtures decide yours. A certified lab test is the only way to know.

  • What it means for your health. This page reports what the records show and EPA’s limits and goals; it is not medical advice. If you are worried about a health effect, talk to a doctor or your local health department.

  • Anything after the latest data. SDWIS data is from 2026 Q3; UCMR 5 didn’t sample this utility; Montana’s results run from March 11, 2020 to Sept. 23, 2026; EPA’s compliance samples are from Nov. 18, 2013 to Feb. 6, 2018.

Testing your own tap

City of Cut Bank’s results are for the water it sends out. What your own service line, solder and fixtures add shows up only in a test of your tap, by a lab Montana certifies.

No lab Montana certifies is within 75 miles of the area City of Cut Bank serves on the state’s list. Some take samples by mail; the state’s page lists them all.

Montana State Environmental Laboratory: Private well testing packages for bacteria, metals, nutrients, anions, organic chemicals and more, open to the public. Samples can be mailed, sent by the lab's free courier, or dropped off at the lab. Environmental Laboratory, Montana Department of Public Health and Human Services.

All 36 certified labs for Montana

Sources

PWSID MT0000193. Rebuilt from EPA data on Oct. 18, 2026.

Towns it serves

Also in Glacier County

All Montana utilities

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