Water Quality: Big Sky, MT
12 water systems • 5,574 people served
Some ConcernsWater Quality Summary
Big Sky is served by 12 public water systems with a combined service population of 5,574 people, and has 154 EPA Safe Drinking Water Act violations on record. Critically, 2 of those are health-based violations, meaning one or more contaminants were detected above EPA-established safe levels — a serious public health concern. Big Sky's violation count is 47% above the national average for Montana. Contaminants associated with violations include Disinfection Byproducts, E. coli.
Contaminants Found
Broad category of chemicals formed during disinfection, associated with increased cancer risk and adverse reproductive effects.
Common source: Reaction of disinfectants (chlorine, ozone, chloramines) with organic matter
Causes gastrointestinal illness; certain strains (e.g., O157:H7) can cause severe kidney failure and death.
Common source: Fecal contamination from humans or animals entering the water supply
EPA limit: Zero (no E. coli permitted in drinking water)
Water Systems Serving Big Sky
| System Name | PWSID | Source | Population | Violations |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| BIG SKY COUNTY WATER AND SEWER DIST 363 | MT0002385 | Groundwater | 4,132 | 9 |
| ANDESITE RIDGE WATER SYSTEM | MT0004468 | Groundwater | 450 | 4 |
| LOWER PIONEER MOUNTAIN WATER SYSTEM | MT0004462 | Groundwater | 350 | 5 |
| LAZY J SOUTH SUBDIVISION | MT0004432 | Groundwater | 122 | 1 |
| ENCAMPMENT TRAIL | MT0004916 | Groundwater | 100 | 79 |
| GATEWAY VILLAGE SYSTEM 7 | MT0005032 | Groundwater | 77 | 0 |
| GATEWAY VILLAGE SYSTEM 5 | MT0005030 | Groundwater | 70 | 0 |
| GATEWAY VILLAGE SYSTEM 2 | MT0005027 | Groundwater | 68 | 0 |
| GATEWAY VILLAGE SYSTEM 3 | MT0005028 | Groundwater | 68 | 0 |
| GATEWAY VILLAGE SYSTEM 4 | MT0005029 | Groundwater | 60 | 0 |
| SPANISH PEAKS MOUNTAIN CLUB | MT0004588 | Groundwater | 40 | 52 |
| LONE VIEW RIDGE WATER SYSTEM | MT0004470 | Groundwater | 37 | 4 |
Concerned About Your Water?
A home water filter can remove common contaminants. NSF-certified filters are tested against EPA standards.
Consider a reverse osmosis system for comprehensive filtration or a carbon filter for basic improvement.
Other Cities in Montana
Data Sources
Drinking water violation data from the EPA Safe Drinking Water Information System (SDWIS). Data includes all recorded violations for active community water systems.