Copper in Montana well water
In Montana, 2% of 5,265 tested private well samples exceeded the EPA limit for copper (1.3 mg/L).
Copper leaches from pipes when water is acidic. Above 1.3 mg/L it causes stomach upset, and long-term exposure can harm the liver and kidneys. Blue-green stains on fixtures are the giveaway.
Check your copper number
Type the value from your lab report. It is compared to the EPA limit, the same way the full interpretation does it.
Test your Montana well for copper
Certified lab analysis of your own tap water, bottles and prepaid return shipping included. The Essential well panel covers arsenic, uranium, nitrate, lead, copper, manganese, iron, sodium and bacteria; radon and PFAS are add-ons.
Order the Tap Score well water test kit, from $209Already tested? Upload the report
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Systems that remove copper
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Some links below are affiliate links. If you buy through one, the merchant pays us a commission at no extra cost to you. It does not change which products we list or what the data says.
For copper
Under-sink reverse osmosis system
under-sink or countertop, about $300
Look for NSF/ANSI 58 certification listing the contaminant you need removed.
For copper
Acid neutralizing filter
whole-house, at the point of entry, about $1,200
Raises pH so plumbing stops leaching lead and copper.
Rather have it installed and sized for your well? Book a free in-home water test with a licensed local company.
Where to get a well tested for copper in Montana: certified labs, state programs and prices.
By county, from individual samples
Public monitoring samples against the EPA limit (1.3 mg/L); counties with at least 30 samples.
| County | Above EPA limit | Samples | Detected | Median | Highest |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Silver Bow | 635 | 79% | 0.002 | 142 mg/L | |
| Deer Lodge | 125 | 92% | 0.003 | 2.2 mg/L | |
| Beaverhead | 67 | 9% | 0 | 2.26 mg/L | |
| Jefferson | 251 | 67% | 0 | 2.29 mg/L | |
| Powder River | 815 | 24% | 0 | 6.8 mg/L | |
| Carbon | 37 | 89% | 0.001 | 0.06 mg/L | |
| Teton | 31 | 71% | 0.002 | 0.05 mg/L | |
| Richland | 54 | 67% | 0.001 | 0.05 mg/L | |
| Lincoln | 48 | 67% | 0 | 0.06 mg/L | |
| Phillips | 34 | 65% | 0 | 0.02 mg/L | |
| Fergus | 81 | 60% | 0 | 0.05 mg/L | |
| Valley | 65 | 60% | 0 | 0.15 mg/L | |
| Sheridan | 68 | 56% | 0 | 0.06 mg/L | |
| McCone | 48 | 52% | 0 | 0.05 mg/L | |
| Ravalli | 118 | 52% | 0 | 0.05 mg/L |
- Butte-Silver Bow Northwest CCD, Silver Bow County22% of 391
- Warm Springs CCD, Deer Lodge County6% of 86
- Boulder CCD, Jefferson County<1% of 239
- Otter CCD, Powder River County<1% of 797
- Anaconda CCD, Deer Lodge County0% of 39
- Lewistown CCD, Fergus County0% of 52
- Troy CCD, Lincoln County0% of 48
- Butte CCD, Silver Bow County0% of 244
- Hamilton CCD, Ravalli County0% of 68
- Three Forks CCD, Gallatin County0% of 66
- Stanford CCD, Judith Basin County0% of 32
- Helena CCD, Lewis and Clark County0% of 356
- Flathead Reservation CCD, Lake County0% of 39
- Stevensville CCD, Ravalli County0% of 35
- Deer Lodge CCD, Powell County0% of 230
- Ashland CCD, Rosebud County0% of 69
- Decker CCD, Big Horn County0% of 173
- Fort Peck Reservation CCD, Roosevelt County0% of 90
- Rosebud CCD, Rosebud County0% of 803
- Crow Reservation CCD, Big Horn County0% of 36
Sources
- Individual samples from the USGS Water Quality Portal and state monitoring, summarized per geography. copper counts and shares are listed on each county and town page with their sources.