Public water system · MT0000216
ActiveFort Benton City of
At a glance
City of Fort Benton (PWSID MT0000216) is an active community water system in Chouteau County, Montana. It reports serving 1,500 people through 763 service connections. Its primary water source is groundwater, and EPA lists it as owned by a local government. Of the 12 most recent violations in EPA's records, none is health-based, and the most recent began in July 2021.
Dataset updated . Source: EPA SDWIS/ECHO public records.
Population served
1,500
Service connections
763
Primary source
GW
Groundwater
System type
CWS
Community water system
System record
How does City of Fort Benton compare with other water systems in Chouteau County?
By EPA's size categories, City of Fort Benton is a small system (501 to 3,300 people). Chouteau County has 12 active public water systems, and City of Fort Benton is the largest of them by population served. Its population served is about 5.2 times the county average of 288 people per system, and accounts for 43% of the 3,456 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 City of Fort Benton 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 City of Fort Benton?
EPA lists City of Fort Benton as owned by a local 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. 9 of the 12 active systems in Chouteau County (75%) are also owned by a local government.
Does City of Fort Benton have drinking water violations?
Of the 12 most recent violations in EPA's records, none is health-based, and the most recent began in July 2021. The violations listed here began between January 1994 and July 2021. By type: 9 monitoring and reporting, 2 public notice, recordkeeping or other and 1 monitoring. The contaminant or rule involved most often is Consumer Confidence Rule (2 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2021-07-01 | Public notice, recordkeeping or otherConsumer Confidence Report Complete Failure to Report · code 71 | Consumer Confidence Rulecode 7000 | No | Resolved |
| 2018-07-01 | Monitoring and reportingFollow-up Or Routine LCR Tap M/R · code 52 | Lead and Copper Rulecode 5000 | No | Resolved |
| 2018-01-01 | Monitoring and reportingWater Quality Parameter M/R · code 53 | Lead and Copper Rulecode 5000 | No | Resolved |
| 2016-10-01 | MonitoringMonitoring, Routine (RTCR) · code 3A | Revised Total Coliform Rulecode 8000 | No | Resolved |
| 2009-01-01 | Monitoring and reportingMonitoring, Regular · code 03 | Nitrate-Nitritecode 1038 | No | Resolved |
| 2008-07-01 | Public notice, recordkeeping or otherConsumer Confidence Report Complete Failure to Report · code 71 | Consumer Confidence Rulecode 7000 | No | Resolved |
| 1996-02-01 | Monitoring and reportingMonitoring, Repeat Major (TCR) · code 25 | Total coliform bacteria (TCR)code 3100 | No | Resolved |
| 1994-01-01 | Monitoring and reportingMonitoring, Regular · code 03 | Thalliumcode 1085 | No | Resolved |
| 1994-01-01 | Monitoring and reportingMonitoring, Regular · code 03 | Nickelcode 1036 | No | Resolved |
| 1994-01-01 | Monitoring and reportingMonitoring, Regular · code 03 | Chromiumcode 1020 | No | Resolved |
| 1994-01-01 | Monitoring and reportingMonitoring, Regular · code 03 | Cadmiumcode 1015 | No | Resolved |
| 1994-01-01 | Monitoring and reportingMonitoring, Regular · code 03 | Bariumcode 1010 | 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.
City of Fort Benton: frequently asked questions
Who runs City of Fort Benton?
City of Fort Benton (PWSID MT0000216) is a community water system owned by a local government. It is regulated by the MT state drinking water program.
How many people does City of Fort Benton serve?
City of Fort Benton reports serving 1,500 people through 763 service connections in Chouteau County, Montana.
Where does City of Fort Benton 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 City of Fort Benton have any drinking water violations?
Of the 12 most recent violations in EPA's records, none is health-based, and the most recent began in July 2021. 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 City of Fort Benton'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, none is health-based, and the most recent began in July 2021. For current results, consult the system's annual water quality report, EPA ECHO, or the MT state drinking water program.
Where can I find City of Fort Benton's water quality report?
As a community water system, City of Fort Benton 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 Chouteau County
| Water system | County | Population served | Type | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Big Sandy Town of | Chouteau | 608 | Community | Groundwater |
| Highwood County Water and Sewer District | Chouteau | 280 | Community | Groundwater |
| Geraldine Town of | Chouteau | 260 | Community | Groundwater |
| Loma County Water District | Chouteau | 200 | Community | Surface water |
| Carter Chouteau Co Water Dist | Chouteau | 150 | Community | Surface water |
| Coal Banks Landing Blm | Chouteau | 120 | 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, “Fort Benton City of, PWSID MT0000216, Montana”, https://aquacensus.com/water-systems/montana/fort-benton-city-of-mt0000216 (data as of October 1, 2026).