For many people in Richland County, water for their homes, livestock and crops are delivered by private wells. It is important that these wells, especially those that are used to provide drinking water for people or animals, are tested yearly. For more testing basics, you can read our brochure Water Quality in Richland County or visit the links below for more detailed information.
One particular issue you may be affected by in Richland County is the drilling of an oil well on your property. These wells are highly regulated, and you can visit the Montana Board of Oil and Gas website to view drilling permits and see what they must do to protect your land and water supply. Normal well testing often does not look for the Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs) that are signs of drilling-related contamination. If you have a well on your property and are concerned about contamination, you should contact a testing laboratory (check the links below) and ask them about running a test for VOCs to be sure that your well water is safe.
EPA Resources on Private Drinking Water Wells - This website answers questions about well testing including what to test for and how often to test as well as providing basic information about safe well construction and maintenace. If you maintain your own well, the information on this website combined with a maintenance record folder from the MSU Extension Office - Richland County can help you ensure that your water is and stays safe. You can also find a list of state-run testing laboratories here.
CDC Resource on Well Water Testing - This website provides guidelines developed by the CDC for well water testing and provides more information about different bacterial contaminants you may need to monitor in your drinking water.
State Certified Lab List - This is a list of laboratories that are certified to test drinking water in the state of Montana maintained by Gallatin County.
