Montana tap water study ranks state near bottom for cleanliness

MONTANA — A new analysis of federal data placed Montana near the bottom of the country for tap water cleanliness.

ProGuard said they used the most recent Environmental Protection Agency data to compare states by reported water quality violations. The ranking was based on the number of violations for every 100,000 residents.

The analysis ranked Montana 49th in the United States. It found 6,565 violations per 100,000 residents in the state.

The report said Montana’s ranking pointed to ongoing trouble keeping water quality consistent across public systems during the year.

“This shows just how much improvement remains possible. For Montana homeowners, these systemic infrastructure strains underscore why local water conservation is so critical. When community systems face compliance and drought challenges, timely leak detection and repairs at home become a vital way to protect the treated water our public infrastructure struggles to secure,” Proguard said in a release.