Public water system · MT0042526
ActivePlacid Lake State Park
At a glance
Placid Lake State Park (PWSID MT0042526) is an active transient non-community water system in Missoula County, Montana. It reports serving 122 people through 8 service connections. Its primary water source is groundwater, and EPA lists it as owned by a state government. EPA's records list 8 violations for this system; 5 are health-based, and the most recent began in July 2012.
Dataset updated . Source: EPA SDWIS/ECHO public records.
Population served
122
Service connections
8
Primary source
GW
Groundwater
System type
TNCWS
Transient non-community water system
System record
How does Placid Lake State Park compare with other water systems in Missoula County?
By EPA's size categories, Placid Lake State Park is a very small system (500 people or fewer). Missoula County has 244 active public water systems. Its population served is well below the county average of 576 people per system, and accounts for less than 0.1% of the 140,505 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 Placid Lake State Park is about 15% below 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 Placid Lake State Park?
EPA lists Placid Lake 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. 18 of the 244 active systems in Missoula County (7.4%) are also owned by a state government.
Does Placid Lake State Park have drinking water violations?
EPA's records list 8 violations for this system; 5 are health-based, and the most recent began in July 2012. The violations listed here began between May 1999 and July 2012. By type: 5 contaminant level above the legal limit and 3 monitoring and reporting. The contaminant or rule involved most often is Total coliform bacteria (TCR) (8 of them). EPA lists 8 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2012-07-01 | Monitoring and reportingMonitoring, Repeat Major (TCR) · code 25 | Total coliform bacteria (TCR)code 3100 | No | Resolved |
| 2011-07-01 | Contaminant level above the legal limitMaximum Contaminant Level Violation, Monthly (TCR) · code 22 | Total coliform bacteria (TCR)code 3100 | Yes | Resolved |
| 2010-09-01 | Contaminant level above the legal limitMaximum Contaminant Level Violation, Monthly (TCR) · code 22 | Total coliform bacteria (TCR)code 3100 | Yes | Resolved |
| 2008-09-01 | 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 |
| 2007-07-01 | Contaminant level above the legal limitMaximum Contaminant Level Violation, Monthly (TCR) · code 22 | Total coliform bacteria (TCR)code 3100 | Yes | Resolved |
| 2004-07-01 | Contaminant level above the legal limitMaximum Contaminant Level Violation, Monthly (TCR) · code 22 | Total coliform bacteria (TCR)code 3100 | Yes | Resolved |
| 1999-05-01 | Monitoring and reportingMonitoring, Routine Major (TCR) · code 23 | Total coliform bacteria (TCR)code 3100 | No | Resolved |
All 8 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.
Placid Lake State Park: frequently asked questions
Who runs Placid Lake State Park?
Placid Lake State Park (PWSID MT0042526) 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 Placid Lake State Park serve?
Placid Lake State Park reports serving 122 people through 8 service connections in Missoula County, Montana.
Where does Placid Lake State Park 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 Placid Lake State Park have any drinking water violations?
EPA's records list 8 violations for this system; 5 are health-based, and the most recent began in July 2012. 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 Placid Lake 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 8 violations for this system; 5 are health-based, and the most recent began in July 2012. For current results, consult EPA ECHO, or the MT state drinking water program.
Where can I find Placid Lake State Park's water quality report?
The annual Consumer Confidence Report requirement applies to community water systems. Placid Lake 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 Missoula County
| Water system | County | Population served | Type | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Missoula Water | Missoula | 68,200 | Community | Groundwater |
| University of Montana | Missoula | 15,000 | Non-transient non-community | Purchased groundwater |
| Lolo Water and Sewer Dist | Missoula | 3,315 | Community | Groundwater |
| Town Pump Bonner 1 | Missoula | 2,460 | Non-transient non-community | Groundwater |
| Clearwater Junction Rest Area | Missoula | 2,002 | Transient non-community | Groundwater |
| Seeley Lake Water District | Missoula | 1,575 | Community | 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, “Placid Lake State Park, PWSID MT0042526, Montana”, https://aquacensus.com/water-systems/montana/placid-lake-state-park-mt0042526 (data as of October 1, 2026).