Public water system · MT0005069
ActiveThe Benches
At a glance
The Benches (PWSID MT0005069) is an active community water system in Flathead County, Montana. It reports serving 123 people through 48 service connections. Its primary water source is groundwater, and EPA lists it as privately owned. EPA's records list one violation for this system; it is not health-based, and the most recent began in November 2022.
Dataset updated . Source: EPA SDWIS/ECHO public records.
Population served
123
Service connections
48
Primary source
GW
Groundwater
System type
CWS
Community water system
System record
How does The Benches compare with other water systems in Flathead County?
By EPA's size categories, The Benches is a very small system (500 people or fewer). Flathead County has 327 active public water systems. Its population served is about 62% below the county average of 324 people per system, and accounts for 0.1% of the 105,781 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 The Benches 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 The Benches?
EPA lists The Benches as privately owned. 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. 263 of the 327 active systems in Flathead County (80%) are also privately owned.
Does The Benches have drinking water violations?
EPA's records list one violation for this system; it is not health-based, and the most recent began in November 2022. By type: 1 monitoring. The contaminant or rule involved is Revised Total Coliform Rule. EPA lists 1 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2022-11-01 | MonitoringMonitoring, Routine (RTCR) · code 3A | Revised Total Coliform Rulecode 8000 | No | Resolved |
The one violation in EPA's records.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.
The Benches: frequently asked questions
Who runs The Benches?
The Benches (PWSID MT0005069) is a community water system privately owned. It is regulated by the MT state drinking water program.
How many people does The Benches serve?
The Benches reports serving 123 people through 48 service connections in Flathead County, Montana.
Where does The Benches 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 The Benches have any drinking water violations?
EPA's records list one violation for this system; it is not health-based, and the most recent began in November 2022. 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 The Benches' 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 one violation for this system; it is not health-based, and the most recent began in November 2022. For current results, consult the system's annual water quality report, EPA ECHO, or the MT state drinking water program.
Where can I find The Benches' water quality report?
As a community water system, The Benches 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 Flathead County
| Water system | County | Population served | Type | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kalispell Public Works | Flathead | 25,000 | Community | Groundwater |
| Whitefish City of | Flathead | 10,418 | Community | Surface water |
| Flathead County Water and Sewer | Flathead | 7,775 | Community | Groundwater |
| Bigfork County Water and Sewer | Flathead | 6,100 | Community | Groundwater |
| Columbia Falls City of | Flathead | 4,450 | Community | Groundwater |
| Ridge Run | Flathead | 3,500 | 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, “The Benches, PWSID MT0005069, Montana”, https://aquacensus.com/water-systems/montana/the-benches-mt0005069 (data as of October 1, 2026).