Safe H2O

  • Published
  • By Staff Sgt. Michael Touchette
  • 120th Airlift Wing Public Affairs
The 2013 Consumer confidence Report for the City of Great Falls, Montana, public drinking water has been released and it's good news.

The report, prepared annually by the City of Great Falls Water Utility, provides assurance to the community of the quality of the municipal drinking water.

"The 120th receives all its water from the city of Great Falls," said Master Sgt. Amber Westie, 120th Medical Group bioenvironmental engineering. "Montana State (Department of Environmental Quality) requires I send this report to all personnel."

Approximately two dozen different contaminants were found during testing of Great Falls water, most of them naturally occurring as water makes its way to the treatment plant.

Naturally occurring mineral dissolve and waste substances produced by plants, animals and humans are picked up according to the report.

Some contaminants are the result of the treatment process itself.

The primary disinfectant used in Great Falls is free chlorine. Through the addition of ammonia, monochloramine is formed just before the water exits the treatment plant. Monochloramine does not dissipate as readily as free chlorine and thus helps in maintaining disinfection at the far edges of the distribution system.

Of the contaminants found, none exceeded the standards set by the Environmental Protections Agency for safe drinking water.

According to the report, 69 regulated and 97 unregulated contaminants were tested for but not found. 

"In summary, analysis of Great Falls drinking water revealed no violations during 2013," Westie said. "Although some constituents were detected, the Environmental Protection Agency considers water to be safe at these levels."

If you have any questions about this report, contact Westie at 791-2565 or Tech. Sgt. Scott Labonte at 791-2261.