County offers free arsenic and uranium testing for wells

Lewis and Clark County’s Water Quality Protection District provides ongoing monitoring, water quality studies, outreach and an Arsenic & Uranium Testing and Treatment Program aimed at private well owners in the Helena area. The district maintains a groundwater network and publishes hydrologic outlooks and technical reports to track water quality trends, identify contamination risks and support local planning.

The testing and treatment program supplies free arsenic and uranium test kits at seasonal pickup locations. Program details and pickup locations change with the season, and the county page lists where kits are available along with phone contacts for public health water quality specialists who can help interpret results and discuss treatment options. Full technical documents and PDF resources are linked on the county web page for residents who want deeper information about monitoring methods and study results. The resource is intended to help households make informed decisions about their drinking water.

Testing is particularly important locally because private wells are not regulated under the federal Safe Drinking Water Act, leaving responsibility for water safety with individual households. Arsenic and uranium are naturally occurring contaminants in parts of Montana and can pose long term health risks if present at elevated levels. Regular testing, combined with guidance about treatment technologies, reduces exposure and can prevent costly repairs or health consequences later.

The Water Quality Protection District’s groundwater network and hydrologic outlooks also serve county planners and community groups by identifying areas with persistent water quality concerns, supporting grant applications and informing mitigation efforts. For low income residents and others facing barriers to treatment, the county program aims to improve equitable access to testing and information, although long term funding and broader policy solutions remain necessary to address structural disparities in water access.

Residents can find test kit schedules, contact information for public health water quality specialists and linked technical materials on the county web page at lccountymt.gov under Public Health, Water Quality Protection District. Regular testing and timely treatment choices will help protect household health and support community planning around groundwater quality.