Public water system · MT0000239
ActiveHarlem City of
At a glance
City of Harlem (PWSID MT0000239) is an active community water system in Blaine County, Montana. It reports serving 820 people through 375 service connections. Its primary water source is surface water, and EPA lists it as owned by a local government. Of the 12 most recent violations in EPA's records, 7 are health-based, and the most recent began in January 2026.
Dataset updated . Source: EPA SDWIS/ECHO public records.
Population served
820
Service connections
375
Primary source
SW
Surface water
System type
CWS
Community water system
System record
How does City of Harlem compare with other water systems in Blaine County?
By EPA's size categories, City of Harlem is a small system (501 to 3,300 people). Blaine County has 12 active public water systems, and City of Harlem is the 2nd-largest of them by population served. Its population served is about 3.7 times the county average of 223 people per system, and accounts for 31% of the 2,672 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 Harlem 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. Surface water means the system draws its water from rivers, lakes, streams or reservoirs. 60 Montana systems (2.5%) list surface water as their primary source.
Who owns and regulates City of Harlem?
EPA lists City of Harlem 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. 4 of the 12 active systems in Blaine County (33%) are also owned by a local government.
Does City of Harlem have drinking water violations?
Of the 12 most recent violations in EPA's records, 7 are health-based, and the most recent began in January 2026. The violations listed here began between October 2024 and January 2026. By type: 6 contaminant level above the legal limit, 3 monitoring and reporting, 1 public notice, recordkeeping or other, 1 required treatment not met and 1 monitoring. The contaminant or rule involved most often is Total trihalomethanes (TTHM) (6 of them). EPA lists 6 as archived, 4 as resolved and 2 as unaddressed. Archived means the violation was not marked resolved but is more than five years past the end of the noncompliance period, so it no longer counts toward current compliance status. 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. Unaddressed means the violation is not resolved or archived and is not yet covered by formal enforcement.
| Began | Violation | Contaminant or rule | Health-based | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-01-01 | Contaminant level above the legal limitMaximum Contaminant Level Violation, Average · code 02 | Total trihalomethanes (TTHM)code 2950 | Yes | Archived |
| 2025-10-01 | Public notice, recordkeeping or otherConsumer Confidence Report Inadequate Reporting · code 72 | Consumer Confidence Rulecode 7000 | No | Resolved |
| 2025-10-01 | Contaminant level above the legal limitMaximum Contaminant Level Violation, Average · code 02 | Total trihalomethanes (TTHM)code 2950 | Yes | Archived |
| 2025-08-26 | Required treatment not metTreatment Technique, Level 1 Assessment (RTCR) · code 2A | Revised Total Coliform Rulecode 8000 | Yes | Unaddressed |
| 2025-07-01 | Contaminant level above the legal limitMaximum Contaminant Level Violation, Average · code 02 | Total trihalomethanes (TTHM)code 2950 | Yes | Archived |
| 2025-04-01 | Monitoring and reportingMonitoring and Reporting (DBP) · code 27 | Total trihalomethanes (TTHM)code 2950 | No | Resolved |
| 2025-04-01 | Monitoring and reportingMonitoring and Reporting (DBP) · code 27 | Haloacetic acids (HAA5)code 2456 | No | Resolved |
| 2025-01-01 | Contaminant level above the legal limitMaximum Contaminant Level Violation, Average · code 02 | Total trihalomethanes (TTHM)code 2950 | Yes | Archived |
| 2024-11-01 | MonitoringMonitoring, Routine (RTCR) · code 3A | Revised Total Coliform Rulecode 8000 | No | Resolved |
| 2024-10-01 | Contaminant level above the legal limitMaximum Contaminant Level Violation, Average · code 02 | Haloacetic acids (HAA5)code 2456 | Yes | Archived |
| 2024-10-01 | Monitoring and reportingFollow-up Or Routine LCR Tap M/R · code 52 | Lead and Copper Rulecode 5000 | No | Unaddressed |
| 2024-10-01 | Contaminant level above the legal limitMaximum Contaminant Level Violation, Average · code 02 | Total trihalomethanes (TTHM)code 2950 | Yes | Archived |
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 Harlem: frequently asked questions
Who runs City of Harlem?
City of Harlem (PWSID MT0000239) 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 Harlem serve?
City of Harlem reports serving 820 people through 375 service connections in Blaine County, Montana.
Where does City of Harlem get its water?
EPA SDWIS lists this system's primary water source as surface water. Surface water means the system draws its water from rivers, lakes, streams or reservoirs.
Does City of Harlem have any drinking water violations?
Of the 12 most recent violations in EPA's records, 7 are health-based, and the most recent began in January 2026. 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 Harlem'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, 7 are health-based, and the most recent began in January 2026. 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 Harlem's water quality report?
As a community water system, City of Harlem 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 Blaine County
| Water system | County | Population served | Type | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chinook City of | Blaine | 1,300 | Community | Surface water |
| Perrys Water Service | Blaine | 100 | Community | Purchased surface water |
| Turner School District No 43 | Blaine | 97 | Non-transient non-community | Groundwater |
| Hartland Colony | Blaine | 73 | Community | Groundwater |
| The Border Bar | Blaine | 52 | Transient non-community | Groundwater |
| Turner Colony | Blaine | 50 | 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, “Harlem City of, PWSID MT0000239, Montana”, https://aquacensus.com/water-systems/montana/harlem-city-of-mt0000239 (data as of October 1, 2026).