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Helena Valley Northwest, MT Tap Water Quality 2026

Water quality report for Helena Valley Northwest, MT — PFAS, lead and copper results, violation history and state inspection findings from EPA SDWIS.

A look at Helena Valley Northwest's drinking water using EPA enforcement records: violations, lead and copper results, PFAS sampling and state inspection findings.

Main Utility: North Star Pud PWSID: MT0004264 Updated: 2026 Q2
✅

No federal limits exceeded on record

Lead is 7.00 ppb, 47% of the action level and no violations are open. PFAS has never been sampled at this system.

B

Helena Valley Northwest earns a B for water quality

Graded on violations and lead, with state inspection findings. PFAS not tested.

Lead: 7.00 ppb — 47% of the federal action level
PFAS never sampled at this system
4 violations since 2015, 0 health-based
No violations currently open
Helena Valley Northwest's lead level vs. all Montana community water systems
0 ppb5 ppb10 ppb15 ppb
Lead level: 7.00 ppb — 47% of the federal action level
✓ Lower lead than 12% of Montana utilities
Population Served
1040
~307 connections
Water Source
Groundwater
Drawn from wells — SDWIS source code GW
Active Violations
0
4 since 2015, all resolved

Lead & Copper Testing

Lead (Pb)
90th percentile of tap samples collected across the distribution system
47% of EPA action level
7.00 ppb
Action level: 15 ppb
The 90th-percentile lead result is 7.00 ppb, 47% of the 15 ppb federal action level. The action level is a treatment trigger, not a legal maximum, and it is measured across sampled taps rather than at any single home.

Contaminant Violations (2015–Present)

ContaminantTypeMeasuredLimitPeriodStatus
Lead and Copper Rule MONITORING AND REPORTING — TT 2025 Resolved
TTHM MONITORING AND REPORTING — 0.080 mg/L 2023 Resolved
Total Haloacetic Acids (HAA5) MONITORING AND REPORTING — 0.060 mg/L 2023 Resolved
Revised Total Coliform Rule OTHER — — 2016 Resolved
Understanding violation types MCL violations mean a contaminant exceeded the federal maximum limit — the most serious type.
TT (Treatment Technique) violations mean required treatment procedures weren't followed, but don't necessarily mean contamination occurred.

Violation History

4 violations are on record since 2015, of which 0 were health-based. All have been resolved and none remain open.

About the Main Water System

Utility North Star Pud
PWSID MT0004264
Water source Groundwater — Drawn from wells — SDWIS source code GW
Population served 1,040
Service connections 307
Systems serving this area 6
Regulator State primacy agency
Data through 2026 Q2 — EPA SDWIS

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Helena Valley Northwest tap water safe to drink? ▼
No federal limit is exceeded on record. No violations are currently open. Lead is 7.00 ppb, 47% of the action level.
Does Helena Valley Northwest water have PFAS? ▼
This system has never been sampled for PFAS. EPA's national monitoring covered systems serving 3,300 people or more, so no results exist — which is not evidence that none is present.
Who supplies water to Helena Valley Northwest? ▼
North Star Pud (PWSID MT0004264), one of 6 systems serving this area. Groundwater. Drawn from wells — SDWIS source code GW
When was this system last inspected? ▼
It was last inspected on 2024-02-28. Inspectors recorded 1 significant deficiency.

What Should Helena Valley Northwest Residents Do?

1
Consider a filter certified for lead
Look for NSF/ANSI 53 certification for lead reduction.
2
Check for a lead service line
Lead reaches tap water mainly through service lines and household plumbing. Suppliers now publish an inventory identifying lead lines.
3
Flush before drinking
If water has sat in pipes more than six hours, run the cold tap for two minutes before drinking or cooking.

Nearby Cities in Montana

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