Iron in Montana well water
In Montana, iron was detected in 74% of 12,546 tested private well samples.
Iron is a nuisance rather than a health hazard: rust stains, metallic taste, and clogged fixtures above 300 ug/L. It often occurs with manganese and can feed iron bacteria that foul plumbing.
Check your iron 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 iron
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 iron
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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 iron
Iron and manganese oxidizing filter
whole-house, at the point of entry, about $1,800
Air-injection or greensand media; fixes staining at the source.
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 iron in Montana: certified labs, state programs and prices.
By county, from individual samples
Public monitoring samples against the EPA limit; counties with at least 30 samples.
| County | Above EPA limit | Samples | Detected | Median | Highest |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Judith Basin | no limit | 110 | 98% | 305 | 11,000 ug/L |
| Hill | no limit | 50 | 98% | 190 | 11,000 ug/L |
| Petroleum | no limit | 36 | 97% | 430 | 22,000 ug/L |
| Prairie | no limit | 59 | 97% | 120 | 5,400 ug/L |
| Custer | no limit | 141 | 96% | 110 | 210,000 ug/L |
| Musselshell | no limit | 109 | 96% | 60 | 18,000 ug/L |
| Garfield | no limit | 50 | 96% | 550 | 81,000 ug/L |
| Powell | no limit | 271 | 96% | 42 | 7,550 ug/L |
| Liberty | no limit | 45 | 96% | 160 | 11,400 ug/L |
| Sheridan | no limit | 154 | 95% | 850 | 36,700 ug/L |
| Chouteau | no limit | 62 | 95% | 155 | 39,000 ug/L |
| Phillips | no limit | 88 | 94% | 540 | 38,000 ug/L |
| Fergus | no limit | 197 | 93% | 80 | 23,000 ug/L |
| Wibaux | no limit | 64 | 92% | 50 | 36,000 ug/L |
| Fallon | no limit | 82 | 91% | 75 | 29,000 ug/L |
- Fairview CCD, Richland County100% detected of 47
- Geraldine CCD, Chouteau County100% detected of 32
- Denton CCD, Fergus County100% detected of 31
- Roundup CCD, Musselshell County100% detected of 37
- Stanford CCD, Judith Basin County98% detected of 55
- Deer Lodge CCD, Powell County98% detected of 232
- Cut Bank CCD, Glacier County98% detected of 40
- Medicine Lake CCD, Sheridan County97% detected of 69
- South Custer CCD, Custer County97% detected of 69
- Shirley-Ismay CCD, Custer County97% detected of 33
- North Custer CCD, Custer County97% detected of 31
- Geyser CCD, Judith Basin County97% detected of 31
- Malta CCD, Phillips County96% detected of 48
- Hanover CCD, Fergus County96% detected of 47
- Wibaux CCD, Wibaux County96% detected of 47
- Plevna CCD, Fallon County96% detected of 47
- Terry North CCD, Prairie County95% detected of 44
- Northwest Yellowstone CCD, Yellowstone County95% detected of 42
- Klein CCD, Musselshell County95% detected of 40
- Glendive CCD, Dawson County94% detected of 51
Sources
- Individual samples from the USGS Water Quality Portal and state monitoring, summarized per geography. iron counts and shares are listed on each county and town page with their sources.