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Turner Colony

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
50 people
Connections
17
Water source
Groundwater
Based in
Turner, MT
County
Blaine
Owner
Private
Hardness
Soft
The ZIP code it serves

59542

The short answer

1 result is above EPA’s legal limit, and 2 more are above the health goal. The worst: Nitrate, above the legal limit. 15 health-based violations since 2016.

What handles it

What was found

Nitrate, arsenic, uranium, fluoride and chromium (total): Montana’s own results, samples taken from May 20, 2020 to Sept. 16, 2026, with EPA’s 2012 to 2019 file for earlier years.

Above the legal limit1

Nitrate

Comes from the source

Above the legal limit

40.1ppm

Highest sample; found in 27 of 27

2026 average: 8.3 ppm

From 2021 to 2026, 10 samples were above EPA’s legal limit of 10 ppm, the highest 40.1 ppm in 2022. 10 have no follow-up sample on file within 30 days. In 2026, the latest year on file, its three samples averaged 8.3 ppm. EPA recorded violations for nitrate at this utility in 2021, 2022, 2023 and 2024. Earlier, from 2012 to 2019, EPA’s file shows a highest sample of 67 ppm, in 2015, and EPA recorded violations in 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2018 and 2019.

What handles it

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

Above the health goal2

Arsenic

Comes from the source

Above the health goal

3.0ppb

Highest yearly average, 2022

Averaged by year, the highest was 3.0 ppb, in 2022: below EPA’s legal limit of 10 ppb, but above its health goal of zero. That is the only year on file. Earlier, from 2012 to 2019, EPA’s file shows a highest yearly average of 3.0 ppb, in 2014.

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

8.0ppb

Highest yearly average, 2022

Averaged by year, the highest was 8.0 ppb, in 2022: below EPA’s legal limit of 30 ppb, but above its health goal of zero. That is the only year on file.

What handles it

Below EPA’s limits2

Fluoride

Forms or is added in treatment

Below EPA’s limits

0.26ppm

Highest yearly average, 2022

Averaged by year, the highest was 0.26 ppm, in 2022, below EPA’s legal limit of 4.0 ppm. That is the only year on file. Earlier, from 2012 to 2019, EPA’s file shows a highest yearly average of 0.26 ppm, in 2019.

What handles it

Chromium (total)

Comes from the source

Below EPA’s limits

2.0ppb

Highest yearly average, 2022

Averaged by year, the highest was 2.0 ppb, in 2022, below EPA’s legal limit of 100 ppb. That is the only year on file. Earlier, from 2012 to 2019, EPA’s file shows a highest yearly average of 2.0 ppb, in 2019.

What handles it

One compound tested and not foundBelow the reporting level in every sample. Not found is not the same as zero.
  • 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

    Claims: Nitrate/Nitrite (30 ppm challenge), Arsenic (Pentavalent)<=50 ppb Reduction

    For: Nitrate, Arsenic

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

  • NSF/ANSI 58

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

    For: Nitrate, Arsenic, Uranium

    Other certifiers’ wording: Nitrate; 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

Hardness

Soft, 1.2 mg/L (0.1 grains per gallon), at its one sampling point, in 2022.

Hardness is calcium and magnesium. EPA sets no limit for it: it shows up as scale on fixtures and in water heaters, and as soap that won’t lather. USGS calls water above 60 mg/L moderately hard, above 120 hard and above 180 very hard.

Softeners compared at 0.1 grains per gallon, salt includedSoftener or salt-free conditioner?Montana water hardness, utility by utility

Violations since 2016

Contaminant or ruleTypePeriodMeasuredStatus
Nitrate-NitriteA sample was above the legal limit, for a contaminant judged one sample at a time.EPA: Maximum Contaminant Level Violation, Single SampleJuly 1, 2024 to Sept. 30, 202412.5 MG/LArchived
Revised Total Coliform RuleFixes required after coliform results were not made on time.EPA: Treatment Technique, Corrective/Expedited Actions (RTCR)Jan. 13, 2024—Unaddressed
Nitrate-NitriteA sample was above the legal limit, for a contaminant judged one sample at a time.EPA: Maximum Contaminant Level Violation, Single SampleJuly 1, 2023 to Sept. 30, 202316.9 MG/LArchived
Revised Total Coliform RuleColiform results required a check of the system, and the check or its fixes were not done on time.EPA: Treatment Technique, Level 1 Assessment (RTCR)May 26, 2023—Resolved
Nitrate-NitriteA sample was above the legal limit, for a contaminant judged one sample at a time.EPA: Maximum Contaminant Level Violation, Single SampleApril 1, 2023 to June 30, 202312.8 MG/LArchived
Nitrate-NitriteA sample was above the legal limit, for a contaminant judged one sample at a time.EPA: Maximum Contaminant Level Violation, Single SampleJuly 1, 2022 to Sept. 30, 202213.3 MG/LArchived
Nitrate-NitriteA sample was above the legal limit, for a contaminant judged one sample at a time.EPA: Maximum Contaminant Level Violation, Single SampleOct. 1, 2021 to Dec. 31, 202111.5 MG/LArchived
Nitrate-NitriteA sample was above the legal limit, for a contaminant judged one sample at a time.EPA: Maximum Contaminant Level Violation, Single SampleApril 1, 2021 to June 30, 202111.1 MG/LArchived
Nitrate-NitriteA sample was above the legal limit, for a contaminant judged one sample at a time.EPA: Maximum Contaminant Level Violation, Single SampleJan. 1, 2021 to March 31, 202110.5 MG/LArchived
Nitrate-NitriteA sample was above the legal limit, for a contaminant judged one sample at a time.EPA: Maximum Contaminant Level Violation, Single SampleOct. 1, 2019 to Dec. 31, 201936 MG/LArchived
Nitrate-NitriteA sample was above the legal limit, for a contaminant judged one sample at a time.EPA: Maximum Contaminant Level Violation, Single SampleJuly 1, 2018 to Sept. 30, 201811.1 MG/LResolved
Nitrate-NitriteA sample was above the legal limit, for a contaminant judged one sample at a time.EPA: Maximum Contaminant Level Violation, Single SampleApril 1, 2018 to June 30, 201813.4 MG/LResolved
Nitrate-NitriteA sample was above the legal limit, for a contaminant judged one sample at a time.EPA: Maximum Contaminant Level Violation, Single SampleJuly 1, 2016 to Sept. 30, 201612.4 MG/LArchived
Groundwater RuleA significant problem found in a state inspection was not fixed on time.EPA: Failure To Address DeficiencyApril 29, 2016—Resolved
Nitrate-NitriteA sample was above the legal limit, for a contaminant judged one sample at a time.EPA: Maximum Contaminant Level Violation, Single SampleJan. 1, 2016 to March 31, 201614.5 MG/LArchived
Health-based violations only. Resolved and archived mean the utility returned to compliance or the state closed the record. 30 monitoring or reporting violations not shown.

What this report can’t tell you

  • Everything else. Nitrate, arsenic, uranium, fluoride and chromium (total) results here are Montana’s own from 2020 on, with EPA’s national file for 2012 to 2019. Turner Colony’s own annual report, which it must send you every year, has 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 May 20, 2020 to Sept. 16, 2026.

Testing your own tap

Turner Colony’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 Turner Colony 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 MT0001772. Rebuilt from EPA data on Oct. 18, 2026.

Also in Blaine County

All Montana utilities

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