Public water system · MT0004267
ActivePictograph Cave State Park
At a glance
Pictograph Cave State Park (PWSID MT0004267) is an active transient non-community water system in Yellowstone County, Montana. It reports serving 250 people through 1 service connection. Its primary water source is purchased surface water, and EPA lists it as owned by a state government. EPA's records list 9 violations for this system; 2 are health-based, and the most recent began in July 2019.
Dataset updated . Source: EPA SDWIS/ECHO public records.
Population served
250
Service connections
1
Primary source
SWP
Purchased surface water
System type
TNCWS
Transient non-community water system
System record
How does Pictograph Cave State Park compare with other water systems in Yellowstone County?
By EPA's size categories, Pictograph Cave State Park is a very small system (500 people or fewer). Yellowstone County has 119 active public water systems. Its population served is well below the county average of 1,422 people per system, and accounts for 0.1% of the 169,240 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 Pictograph Cave State Park is about 74% above 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. Purchased surface water means the system buys surface water from another public water system rather than drawing its own. 212 Montana systems (8.9%) list purchased surface water as their primary source.
Who owns and regulates Pictograph Cave State Park?
EPA lists Pictograph Cave State Park 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. 6 of the 119 active systems in Yellowstone County (5%) are also owned by a state government.
Does Pictograph Cave State Park have drinking water violations?
EPA's records list 9 violations for this system; 2 are health-based, and the most recent began in July 2019. The violations listed here began between July 2003 and July 2019. By type: 5 monitoring and reporting, 2 monitoring and 2 contaminant level above the legal limit. The contaminant or rule involved most often is Total coliform bacteria (TCR) (7 of them). EPA lists 9 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2019-07-01 | MonitoringMonitoring, Routine (RTCR) · code 3A | Revised Total Coliform Rulecode 8000 | No | Resolved |
| 2018-04-01 | MonitoringMonitoring, Routine (RTCR) · code 3A | Revised Total Coliform Rulecode 8000 | No | Resolved |
| 2011-11-01 | Monitoring and reportingMonitoring, Routine Minor (TCR) · code 24 | Total coliform bacteria (TCR)code 3100 | No | Resolved |
| 2011-10-01 | Monitoring and reportingMonitoring, Repeat Major (TCR) · code 25 | Total coliform bacteria (TCR)code 3100 | No | Resolved |
| 2010-11-01 | Monitoring and reportingMonitoring, Routine Major (TCR) · code 23 | Total coliform bacteria (TCR)code 3100 | No | Resolved |
| 2010-10-01 | Contaminant level above the legal limitMaximum Contaminant Level Violation, Monthly (TCR) · code 22 | Total coliform bacteria (TCR)code 3100 | Yes | Resolved |
| 2010-09-01 | Monitoring and reportingMonitoring, Routine Minor (TCR) · code 24 | Total coliform bacteria (TCR)code 3100 | No | Resolved |
| 2010-08-01 | Contaminant level above the legal limitMaximum Contaminant Level Violation, Monthly (TCR) · code 22 | Total coliform bacteria (TCR)code 3100 | Yes | Resolved |
| 2003-07-01 | Monitoring and reportingMonitoring, Routine Major (TCR) · code 23 | Total coliform bacteria (TCR)code 3100 | No | Resolved |
All 9 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.
Pictograph Cave State Park: frequently asked questions
Who runs Pictograph Cave State Park?
Pictograph Cave State Park (PWSID MT0004267) 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 Pictograph Cave State Park serve?
Pictograph Cave State Park reports serving 250 people through 1 service connection in Yellowstone County, Montana.
Where does Pictograph Cave State Park get its water?
EPA SDWIS lists this system's primary water source as purchased surface water. Purchased surface water means the system buys surface water from another public water system rather than drawing its own.
Does Pictograph Cave State Park have any drinking water violations?
EPA's records list 9 violations for this system; 2 are health-based, and the most recent began in July 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 Pictograph Cave State Park'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. EPA's records list 9 violations for this system; 2 are health-based, and the most recent began in July 2019. For current results, consult EPA ECHO, or the MT state drinking water program.
Where can I find Pictograph Cave State Park's water quality report?
The annual Consumer Confidence Report requirement applies to community water systems. Pictograph Cave State Park 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 Yellowstone County
| Water system | County | Population served | Type | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Billings City of | Yellowstone | 114,000 | Community | Surface water |
| Billings Heights Co Water Dist of | Yellowstone | 12,000 | Community | Purchased surface water |
| Laurel Municipal Water System | Yellowstone | 6,339 | Community | Surface water |
| Lockwood Water and Sewer District | Yellowstone | 5,900 | Community | Surface water |
| Rocky Mountain College | Yellowstone | 5,700 | Non-transient non-community | Purchased surface water |
| Montana State University Billings | Yellowstone | 2,999 | Non-transient non-community | Purchased surface water |
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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, “Pictograph Cave State Park, PWSID MT0004267, Montana”, https://aquacensus.com/water-systems/montana/pictograph-cave-state-park-mt0004267 (data as of October 1, 2026).