Public water system · MT0000246
ActiveVa Medical Center Helena
At a glance
Va Medical Center Helena (PWSID MT0000246) is an active community water system in Lewis and Clark County, Montana. It reports serving 1,275 people through 25 service connections. Its primary water source is purchased surface water, and EPA lists it as owned by the federal government. Of the 12 most recent violations in EPA's records, none is health-based, and the most recent began in September 2022.
Dataset updated . Source: EPA SDWIS/ECHO public records.
Population served
1,275
Service connections
25
Primary source
SWP
Purchased surface water
System type
CWS
Community water system
System record
How does Va Medical Center Helena compare with other water systems in Lewis and Clark County?
By EPA's size categories, Va Medical Center Helena is a small system (501 to 3,300 people). Lewis and Clark County has 165 active public water systems, and Va Medical Center Helena is the 4th-largest of them by population served. Its population served is about 3.1 times the county average of 413 people per system, and accounts for 1.9% of the 68,071 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 Va Medical Center Helena 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. 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 Va Medical Center Helena?
EPA lists Va Medical Center Helena as owned by the federal 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. 16 of the 165 active systems in Lewis and Clark County (9.7%) are also owned by the federal government.
Does Va Medical Center Helena have drinking water violations?
Of the 12 most recent violations in EPA's records, none is health-based, and the most recent began in September 2022. The violations listed here began between January 2014 and September 2022. By type: 7 monitoring and reporting and 5 monitoring. The contaminant or rule involved most often is Revised Total Coliform Rule (5 of them). EPA lists 12 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2022-09-01 | MonitoringMonitoring, Routine (RTCR) · code 3A | Revised Total Coliform Rulecode 8000 | No | Resolved |
| 2022-06-01 | MonitoringMonitoring, Routine (RTCR) · code 3A | Revised Total Coliform Rulecode 8000 | No | Resolved |
| 2022-05-01 | MonitoringMonitoring, Routine (RTCR) · code 3A | Revised Total Coliform Rulecode 8000 | No | Resolved |
| 2022-04-01 | MonitoringMonitoring, Routine (RTCR) · code 3A | Revised Total Coliform Rulecode 8000 | No | Resolved |
| 2022-04-01 | Monitoring and reportingMonitoring and Reporting (DBP) · code 27 | Total trihalomethanes (TTHM)code 2950 | No | Resolved |
| 2022-04-01 | Monitoring and reportingMonitoring and Reporting (DBP) · code 27 | Haloacetic acids (HAA5)code 2456 | No | Resolved |
| 2021-12-01 | MonitoringMonitoring, Routine (RTCR) · code 3A | Revised Total Coliform Rulecode 8000 | No | Resolved |
| 2020-12-30 | Monitoring and reportingLead Consumer Notice · code 66 | Lead and Copper Rulecode 5000 | No | Resolved |
| 2018-07-01 | Monitoring and reportingMonitoring and Reporting (DBP) · code 27 | Haloacetic acids (HAA5)code 2456 | No | Resolved |
| 2018-07-01 | Monitoring and reportingMonitoring and Reporting (DBP) · code 27 | Total trihalomethanes (TTHM)code 2950 | No | Resolved |
| 2014-08-01 | Monitoring and reportingMonitoring, Routine Major (TCR) · code 23 | Total coliform bacteria (TCR)code 3100 | No | Resolved |
| 2014-01-01 | Monitoring and reportingLead Consumer Notice · code 66 | Lead and Copper Rulecode 5000 | No | Resolved |
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.
Va Medical Center Helena: frequently asked questions
Who runs Va Medical Center Helena?
Va Medical Center Helena (PWSID MT0000246) is a community water system owned by the federal government. It is regulated by the MT state drinking water program.
How many people does Va Medical Center Helena serve?
Va Medical Center Helena reports serving 1,275 people through 25 service connections in Lewis and Clark County, Montana.
Where does Va Medical Center Helena 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 Va Medical Center Helena have any drinking water violations?
Of the 12 most recent violations in EPA's records, none is health-based, and the most recent began in September 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 Va Medical Center Helena'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, none is health-based, and the most recent began in September 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 Va Medical Center Helena's water quality report?
As a community water system, Va Medical Center Helena 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 Lewis and Clark County
| Water system | County | Population served | Type | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Helena Water System | Lewis and Clark | 32,091 | Community | Surface water |
| East Helena City of | Lewis and Clark | 2,114 | Community | Groundwater |
| Eastgate Village Sewer and Water | Lewis and Clark | 2,000 | Community | Groundwater |
| Helena Leisure LLC | Lewis and Clark | 1,200 | Community | Groundwater |
| Bobs Valley Service Inc. | Lewis and Clark | 1,032 | Non-transient non-community | Groundwater |
| Daves Express Lube | Lewis and Clark | 966 | 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, “Va Medical Center Helena, PWSID MT0000246, Montana”, https://aquacensus.com/water-systems/montana/va-medical-center-helena-mt0000246 (data as of October 1, 2026).