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Is Shelby, MT tap water safe?

4 utilities serve Shelby, by EPA’s records. Here is what EPA’s and Montana’s records show for each, against the legal limits and the stricter health goals.

Matched to your utility using EPA records.

The short answer

2 of the 4 utilities serving Shelby have a result above a legal limit or action level, or a health-based violation since 2016, in EPA’s and Montana’s records: Oilmont County Water District and Devon Water Inc.

City of Shelby, which serves the most people here, has 2 results above the health goal. The worst: Lead at 2.0 ppb, above the health goal. Health goals are stricter than legal limits and are not enforced.

The water from City of Shelby is very hard, typically 247 mg/L (14.4 grains per gallon). How Montana’s water compares.

A town can be served by more than one utility, and some homes are on private wells. The name on your water bill tells you which is yours, and your ZIP code narrows it down. They are listed by how many people each serves in Shelby’s ZIP codes, from EPA’s estimates.

What handles it

Each of these is certified, on a certifier’s listing, for a result above a line in City of Shelby’s water, which serves the most people here. Another utility’s report names what handles its own results.

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Every claim, and more filters, in the full report

Water testing near Shelby

A utility tests the water it sends out. A test of your own tap shows what your pipes add, and on a private well it is the only test there is. It takes a lab Montana certifies.

No lab Montana certifies is within 75 miles of Shelby 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

ZIP codes in Shelby

Which ZIP codes are in Shelby: Census 2020 relationship files. Which utilities serve them, and how many people: EPA SDWIS and EPA’s service area map. Each utility’s results: EPA UCMR 5, EPA SDWIS, and EPA’s and the state’s compliance monitoring, as its report lists them. How they are measured: methodology.

Near Shelby

Towns nearby with a page of their own.

What to do next