Public water system · MT0001781
ActiveBirch Creek Colony
At a glance
Birch Creek Colony (PWSID MT0001781) is an active community water system in Pondera County, Montana. It reports serving 120 people through 12 service connections. Its primary water source is groundwater, and EPA lists it as privately owned. Of the 12 most recent violations in EPA's records, 4 are health-based, and the most recent began in May 2023.
Dataset updated . Source: EPA SDWIS/ECHO public records.
Population served
120
Service connections
12
Primary source
GW
Groundwater
System type
CWS
Community water system
System record
How does Birch Creek Colony compare with other water systems in Pondera County?
By EPA's size categories, Birch Creek Colony is a very small system (500 people or fewer). Pondera County has 12 active public water systems. Its population served is well below the county average of 389 people per system, and accounts for 2.6% of the 4,664 people reported by systems filed under the county. Across Montana, the 2,378 active systems average 489 people each. Nationally, the average active community water system reports serving 6,703 people, so Birch Creek Colony is well below that figure.
What does “community water system” mean?
A community water system serves at least 15 connections used by year-round residents, or regularly serves at least 25 year-round residents. Homes, apartments and mobile-home parks are served by these. Montana has 853 active community water systems, 36% of the state's 2,378 active systems. Groundwater means the system draws its water from wells or springs fed by underground aquifers. 1,994 Montana systems (84%) list groundwater as their primary source.
Who owns and regulates Birch Creek Colony?
EPA lists Birch Creek Colony as privately owned. The MT state drinking water program is its primacy agency, the regulator with primary enforcement responsibility for the system under the Safe Drinking Water Act. 7 of the 12 active systems in Pondera County (58%) are also privately owned.
Does Birch Creek Colony have drinking water violations?
Of the 12 most recent violations in EPA's records, 4 are health-based, and the most recent began in May 2023. The violations listed here began between April 2015 and May 2023. By type: 5 monitoring and reporting, 4 contaminant level above the legal limit, 2 public notice, recordkeeping or other and 1 monitoring. The contaminant or rule involved most often is Groundwater Rule (3 of them). EPA lists 12 as resolved. Resolved means at least one resolving action is on record: the system returned to compliance, the rule no longer applies, or no further action was needed.
| Began | Violation | Contaminant or rule | Health-based | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2023-05-01 | Monitoring and reportingMonitoring of Treatment (SWTR-Unfilt/GWR) · code 31 | Groundwater Rulecode 0700 | No | Resolved |
| 2021-06-01 | Monitoring and reportingMonitoring of Treatment (SWTR-Unfilt/GWR) · code 31 | Groundwater Rulecode 0700 | No | Resolved |
| 2020-12-01 | MonitoringMonitoring, Routine (RTCR) · code 3A | Revised Total Coliform Rulecode 8000 | No | Resolved |
| 2020-10-01 | Public notice, recordkeeping or otherConsumer Confidence Report Inadequate Reporting · code 72 | Consumer Confidence Rulecode 7000 | No | Resolved |
| 2019-09-01 | Monitoring and reportingMonitoring and Reporting (DBP) · code 27 | Haloacetic acids (HAA5)code 2456 | No | Resolved |
| 2019-09-01 | Monitoring and reportingMonitoring and Reporting (DBP) · code 27 | Total trihalomethanes (TTHM)code 2950 | No | Resolved |
| 2017-06-01 | Monitoring and reportingMonitoring of Treatment (SWTR-Unfilt/GWR) · code 31 | Groundwater Rulecode 0700 | No | Resolved |
| 2015-10-01 | Contaminant level above the legal limitMaximum Contaminant Level Violation, Average · code 02 | Arseniccode 1005 | Yes | Resolved |
| 2015-07-01 | Public notice, recordkeeping or otherConsumer Confidence Report Complete Failure to Report · code 71 | Consumer Confidence Rulecode 7000 | No | Resolved |
| 2015-07-01 | Contaminant level above the legal limitMaximum Contaminant Level Violation, Average · code 02 | Arseniccode 1005 | Yes | Resolved |
| 2015-04-01 | Contaminant level above the legal limitMaximum Contaminant Level Violation, Average · code 02 | Gross alpha (excluding radon and uranium)code 4000 | Yes | Resolved |
| 2015-04-01 | Contaminant level above the legal limitMaximum Contaminant Level Violation, Average · code 02 | Combined Uraniumcode 4006 | Yes | Resolved |
The 12 most recent violations in EPA's records, newest first.Labels and codes come from EPA's SDWIS reference tables. A monitoring or reporting violation means a required test or report was missed or late; it does not by itself mean a contaminant was found. "Health-based" marks violations of a legal limit or required treatment.
Birch Creek Colony: frequently asked questions
Who runs Birch Creek Colony?
Birch Creek Colony (PWSID MT0001781) is a community water system privately owned. It is regulated by the MT state drinking water program.
How many people does Birch Creek Colony serve?
Birch Creek Colony reports serving 120 people through 12 service connections in Pondera County, Montana.
Where does Birch Creek Colony get its water?
EPA SDWIS lists this system's primary water source as groundwater. Groundwater means the system draws its water from wells or springs fed by underground aquifers.
Does Birch Creek Colony have any drinking water violations?
Of the 12 most recent violations in EPA's records, 4 are health-based, and the most recent began in May 2023. A monitoring or reporting violation means a required test or report was missed or late; it does not by itself mean a contaminant was found.
Is Birch Creek Colony's water safe to drink?
AquaCensus shows EPA compliance records, not current water test results, so it cannot say whether the water is safe at a given moment. Of the 12 most recent violations in EPA's records, 4 are health-based, and the most recent began in May 2023. For current results, consult the system's annual water quality report, EPA ECHO, or the MT state drinking water program.
Where can I find Birch Creek Colony's water quality report?
As a community water system, Birch Creek Colony must deliver an annual water quality report, called a Consumer Confidence Report, to its customers by July 1 each year, covering the previous calendar year. The system can provide a copy on request.
Other water systems in Pondera County
| Water system | County | Population served | Type | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Conrad Water Dept | Pondera | 2,500 | Community | Surface water |
| Tiber County Water District | Pondera | 750 | Community | Surface water |
| Valier Town of | Pondera | 452 | Community | Groundwater |
| Brady County Water Sewer District | Pondera | 144 | Community | Purchased surface water |
| Ncmrwa Pondera Co Service Area | Pondera | 144 | Community | Purchased surface water |
| New Miami Colony | Pondera | 130 | Community | Groundwater |
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About this data
Source: U.S. EPA Safe Drinking Water Information System (SDWIS) and SDWA violation records, via EPA ECHO, as published October 1, 2026 — AquaCensus refreshes it quarterly. See the methodology for how records are matched, cleaned and scored.
Cite as: AquaCensus, “Birch Creek Colony, PWSID MT0001781, Montana”, https://aquacensus.com/water-systems/montana/birch-creek-colony-mt0001781 (data as of October 1, 2026).