Public water system · MT0002595
ActiveColumbus Rest Area Westbound
At a glance
Columbus Rest Area Westbound (PWSID MT0002595) is an active transient non-community water system in Stillwater County, Montana. It reports serving 800 people through 1 service connection. Its primary water source is groundwater, and EPA lists it as owned by a state government. Of the 12 most recent violations in EPA's records, 6 are health-based, and the most recent began in April 2019.
Dataset updated . Source: EPA SDWIS/ECHO public records.
Population served
800
Service connections
1
Primary source
GW
Groundwater
System type
TNCWS
Transient non-community water system
System record
How does Columbus Rest Area Westbound compare with other water systems in Stillwater County?
By EPA's size categories, Columbus Rest Area Westbound is a small system (501 to 3,300 people). Stillwater County has 30 active public water systems, and Columbus Rest Area Westbound is the 4th-largest of them by population served. Its population served is about 187% above the county average of 278 people per system, and accounts for 9.6% of the 8,352 people reported by systems filed under the county. Across Montana, the 2,378 active systems average 489 people each. Nationally, the average active transient non-community water system reports serving 144 people, so Columbus Rest Area Westbound is about 5.6 times that figure.
What does “transient non-community water system” mean?
A transient non-community water system serves places where people do not stay long, such as gas stations and campgrounds, and regularly serves at least 25 people a day for at least 60 days a year. Montana has 1,206 active transient non-community water systems, 51% 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 Columbus Rest Area Westbound?
EPA lists Columbus Rest Area Westbound as owned by a state government. 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. 2 of the 30 active systems in Stillwater County (6.7%) are also owned by a state government.
Does Columbus Rest Area Westbound have drinking water violations?
Of the 12 most recent violations in EPA's records, 6 are health-based, and the most recent began in April 2019. The violations listed here began between July 2005 and April 2019. By type: 6 contaminant level above the legal limit, 5 monitoring and reporting and 1 monitoring. The contaminant or rule involved most often is Total coliform bacteria (TCR) (8 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2019-04-01 | MonitoringMonitoring, Routine (RTCR) · code 3A | Revised Total Coliform Rulecode 8000 | No | Resolved |
| 2015-04-01 | Contaminant level above the legal limitMaximum Contaminant Level Violation, Monthly (TCR) · code 22 | Total coliform bacteria (TCR)code 3100 | Yes | Resolved |
| 2015-03-01 | Contaminant level above the legal limitMaximum Contaminant Level Violation, Monthly (TCR) · code 22 | Total coliform bacteria (TCR)code 3100 | Yes | Resolved |
| 2015-02-01 | Contaminant level above the legal limitMaximum Contaminant Level Violation, Monthly (TCR) · code 22 | Total coliform bacteria (TCR)code 3100 | Yes | Resolved |
| 2013-07-01 | Monitoring and reportingMonitoring, Source Water (GWR) · code 34 | E. colicode 3014 | No | Resolved |
| 2011-12-01 | Monitoring and reportingMonitoring, Source Water (GWR) · code 34 | E. colicode 3014 | No | Resolved |
| 2011-12-01 | Contaminant level above the legal limitMaximum Contaminant Level Violation, Monthly (TCR) · code 22 | Total coliform bacteria (TCR)code 3100 | Yes | Resolved |
| 2011-11-01 | Monitoring and reportingMonitoring, Source Water (GWR) · code 34 | E. colicode 3014 | No | Resolved |
| 2011-11-01 | Contaminant level above the legal limitMaximum Contaminant Level Violation, Monthly (TCR) · code 22 | Total coliform bacteria (TCR)code 3100 | Yes | Resolved |
| 2011-10-01 | Contaminant level above the legal limitMaximum Contaminant Level Violation, Monthly (TCR) · code 22 | Total coliform bacteria (TCR)code 3100 | Yes | Resolved |
| 2007-07-01 | Monitoring and reportingMonitoring, Routine Major (TCR) · code 23 | Total coliform bacteria (TCR)code 3100 | No | Resolved |
| 2005-07-01 | Monitoring and reportingMonitoring, Routine Major (TCR) · code 23 | Total coliform bacteria (TCR)code 3100 | No | 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.
Columbus Rest Area Westbound: frequently asked questions
Who runs Columbus Rest Area Westbound?
Columbus Rest Area Westbound (PWSID MT0002595) is a transient non-community water system owned by a state government. It is regulated by the MT state drinking water program.
How many people does Columbus Rest Area Westbound serve?
Columbus Rest Area Westbound reports serving 800 people through 1 service connection in Stillwater County, Montana.
Where does Columbus Rest Area Westbound 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 Columbus Rest Area Westbound have any drinking water violations?
Of the 12 most recent violations in EPA's records, 6 are health-based, and the most recent began in April 2019. 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 Columbus Rest Area Westbound'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, 6 are health-based, and the most recent began in April 2019. For current results, consult EPA ECHO, or the MT state drinking water program.
Where can I find Columbus Rest Area Westbound's water quality report?
The annual Consumer Confidence Report requirement applies to community water systems. Columbus Rest Area Westbound is a transient non-community water system, so it is not required to publish one; like every public water system, it must notify the people it serves about violations under EPA's public notification rules.
Other water systems in Stillwater County
| Water system | County | Population served | Type | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Columbus Town of | Stillwater | 1,900 | Community | Groundwater |
| Cenex Zip Trip Num 50 | Stillwater | 1,500 | Transient non-community | Groundwater |
| Absarokee Water and Sewer Dist | Stillwater | 1,100 | Community | Groundwater |
| Columbus Rest Area Eastbound | Stillwater | 800 | Transient non-community | Groundwater |
| Stillwater Mining Company | Stillwater | 630 | Non-transient non-community | Groundwater |
| Park City School K 12 | Stillwater | 300 | Non-transient non-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, “Columbus Rest Area Westbound, PWSID MT0002595, Montana”, https://aquacensus.com/water-systems/montana/columbus-rest-area-westbound-mt0002595 (data as of October 1, 2026).