Public water system · MT0004486
ActiveTurning Winds
At a glance
Turning Winds (PWSID MT0004486) is an active community water system in Lincoln County, Montana. It reports serving 50 people through 3 service connections. Its primary water source is groundwater, and EPA lists it as privately owned. EPA's records list 8 violations for this system; none is health-based, and the most recent began in July 2020.
Dataset updated . Source: EPA SDWIS/ECHO public records.
Population served
50
Service connections
3
Primary source
GW
Groundwater
System type
CWS
Community water system
System record
How does Turning Winds compare with other water systems in Lincoln County?
By EPA's size categories, Turning Winds is a very small system (500 people or fewer). Lincoln County has 92 active public water systems. Its population served is well below the county average of 212 people per system, and accounts for 0.3% of the 19,484 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 Turning Winds 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 Turning Winds?
EPA lists Turning Winds 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. 64 of the 92 active systems in Lincoln County (70%) are also privately owned.
Does Turning Winds have drinking water violations?
EPA's records list 8 violations for this system; none is health-based, and the most recent began in July 2020. The violations listed here began between January 2002 and July 2020. By type: 4 public notice, recordkeeping or other, 3 monitoring and reporting and 1 monitoring. The contaminant or rule involved most often is Consumer Confidence Rule (3 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2020-07-01 | Public notice, recordkeeping or otherConsumer Confidence Report Complete Failure to Report · code 71 | Consumer Confidence Rulecode 7000 | No | Resolved |
| 2020-06-01 | MonitoringMonitoring, Routine (RTCR) · code 3A | Revised Total Coliform Rulecode 8000 | No | Resolved |
| 2017-07-01 | Public notice, recordkeeping or otherConsumer Confidence Report Complete Failure to Report · code 71 | Consumer Confidence Rulecode 7000 | No | Resolved |
| 2016-04-02 | Public notice, recordkeeping or otherSample Siting Plan Errors (RTCR) · code 5A | Revised Total Coliform Rulecode 8000 | No | Resolved |
| 2007-07-01 | Public notice, recordkeeping or otherConsumer Confidence Report Complete Failure to Report · code 71 | Consumer Confidence Rulecode 7000 | No | Resolved |
| 2007-03-01 | Monitoring and reportingMonitoring, Routine Major (TCR) · code 23 | Total coliform bacteria (TCR)code 3100 | No | Resolved |
| 2006-07-01 | Monitoring and reportingFollow-up Or Routine LCR Tap M/R · code 52 | Lead and Copper Rulecode 5000 | No | Resolved |
| 2002-01-01 | Monitoring and reportingMonitoring, Regular · code 03 | Asbestoscode 1094 | 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.
Turning Winds: frequently asked questions
Who runs Turning Winds?
Turning Winds (PWSID MT0004486) is a community water system privately owned. It is regulated by the MT state drinking water program.
How many people does Turning Winds serve?
Turning Winds reports serving 50 people through 3 service connections in Lincoln County, Montana.
Where does Turning Winds 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 Turning Winds have any drinking water violations?
EPA's records list 8 violations for this system; none is health-based, and the most recent began in July 2020. 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 Turning Winds' 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; none is health-based, and the most recent began in July 2020. For current results, consult the system's annual water quality report, EPA ECHO, or the MT state drinking water program.
Where can I find Turning Winds' water quality report?
As a community water system, Turning Winds 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 Lincoln County
| Water system | County | Population served | Type | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Libby City of | Lincoln | 4,892 | Community | Surface water |
| Troy City of | Lincoln | 2,100 | Community | Groundwater |
| Eureka Town of | Lincoln | 1,995 | Community | Surface water |
| Bears Country Store | Lincoln | 805 | Transient non-community | Groundwater |
| Fortine Mercantile | Lincoln | 504 | Transient non-community | Groundwater |
| Indian Springs Ranch Sub | Lincoln | 455 | 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, “Turning Winds, PWSID MT0004486, Montana”, https://aquacensus.com/water-systems/montana/turning-winds-mt0004486 (data as of October 1, 2026).