Park County
Human health related groundwater quality testing suggestions
County Test Guidance for Well Owners
Well Ed Plots for Partners
General Test Guidance
Your well water can taste great and look fine, but still have health risks. Protect your family’s health by testing your well water for:
Nitrate and Bacteria (E. coli and total coliform) should be tested regularly, ideally every year.
Lead can be a concern if household plumbing was installed prior to the mid-1990s, especially if well water is corrosive.
Copper can be an issue if household plumbing includes copper and well water is corrosive.
Arsenic and Uranium are the most widespread contaminants posing human health risks in Montana groundwater.
Watershed specific test guidance for sensitive groups
- Clarks Fork Yellowstone Watershed (click here)
- Gallatin Watershed (click here)
- Shields Watershed (click here)
- Stillwater Watershed (click here)
- Upper Missouri Watershed (click here)
- Upper Musselshell Watershed (click here)
- Upper Yellowstone Watershed (click here)
- Yellowstone Headwaters Watershed (click here)
Sensitive groups include children, elderly, pregnant women, and those with chronic health conditions. The watershed specific guidance is based on groundwater quality data from the Montana Bureau of Mines and Geology GWIC Database.