Montana labs
Two paths are independently verified for private well owners through the Montana Department of Public Health and Human Services (DPHHS) State Environmental Laboratory: (1) Private Well Testing — Chemistry (Basic Screen, metals, anions, organics packages on the official form); (2) Private Well Testing — Microbiology (bacteria-only form). The table below lists 15 unique Montana laboratory locations named on DPHHS’s Water Laboratory Certification Program page (retrieved 1 October 2026). That certification authorizes labs to analyze public drinking-water supplies; private-well acceptance is not stated per commercial or municipal row. Call before you collect water. Test first.
What we could and could not verify
- DPHHS Water Laboratory Certification Program and Environmental Laboratory private-well pages/forms retrieved successfully on 1 October 2026 (WebFetch; box curl/Chrome TLS to dphhs.mt.gov failed — same class of failure previously seen on some state hosts).
- Verified private-well paths: 2 — DPHHS Environmental Laboratory Private Well Chemistry form, and Private Well Bacteria (microbiology) form.
- In-state laboratories tabulated from the DPHHS certification roster: 15 unique Montana locations (Energy Billings and Energy Helena counted separately). Out-of-state certified labs omitted from the table — use the official page.
- Odd spellings and dual street/PO Box lines kept as printed on the agency page (e.g. Ravali; Bozeman, Mt).
- 1 of 15 rows independently verified for private-well packages tonight (DPHHS Environmental Laboratory). Remaining rows: call first.
- Kansas KDHE AB Manager is JavaScript-only without a verified static export — skipped again; Montana chosen as the preferred verifiable high-well state.
- Fees intentionally omitted. Confirm current fee with DPHHS Environmental Laboratory / each commercial lab.
- MSU Extension pages archived as secondary homeowner context only — no labs invented from Extension.
Verified for private well owners
DPHHS State Environmental Laboratory — Private Well Testing (Chemistry)
Environmental Laboratory hub · Chemistry Testing for Private Well Sample Submission Form (PDF)
The Montana State Environmental Laboratory (DPHHS) publishes a private-well chemistry sample submission form. Packages named on the form include a Basic Screen (coliform/E. coli presence-absence, nitrate + nitrite, specific conductivity), Metals Screen, Anion Screen, VOC, pesticide, herbicide, and Full Well Screen options. Samples must be paid in advance. Bacteria samples must reach the laboratory within 48 hours of collection.
Lab (as printed on forms / certification page): State of Montana Environmental Laboratory · 1400 Broadway, Room B-206 · Helena, MT 59601 · mail P.O. Box 4369, Helena, MT 59604 · (406) 444-3444 · toll-free (800) 821-7284.
Fees: Confirm current amounts with the Environmental Laboratory — this directory does not republish fee lines (fee schedule PDF linked under Official tools).
DPHHS State Environmental Laboratory — Private Well Testing (Microbiology)
Bacteria Testing for Private Well Sample Submission Form (PDF)
The same laboratory publishes a bacteria-only private-well form. Tests named on the form include Total Coliform presence/absence, Total Coliform count, iron bacteria, and sulfur bacteria. Keep the sample cool and return within 48 hours. Same Helena contact and delivery options as the chemistry form (mail carrier, laboratory courier, or hand delivery to the Cogswell Building loading dock).
Montana laboratories (DPHHS Water Laboratory Certification Program)
DPHHS lists these Montana locations under the Water Laboratory Certification Program (also out-of-state certified labs — see the official page; omitted here). Certification status can change — certification questions: (406) 444-5261 (Jill Cohenour, Chemistry Certification Officer, as printed). Call each lab to confirm they will take your private-well sample, which analytes they offer, shipping instructions, and current fees. Only the DPHHS Environmental Laboratory row is independently verified for private-well packages tonight.
| Laboratory | City | Address | Phone | Accepts private wells? |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| DPHHS State of Montana Environmental Laboratory | Helena | 1400 Broadway, Room B-206, Helena, MT 59601 (mail: P.O. Box 4369, Helena, MT 59604) | (406) 444-3444 | yes — Private Well Testing Chemistry and Microbiology forms on DPHHS Environmental Laboratory site |
| Energy Laboratories, Inc. (Billings) | Billings | 1120 South 27th Street, Billings, MT 59107 | (800) 735-4489 | unknown — named on DPHHS Water Laboratory Certification Program roster; call first |
| Energy Laboratories, Inc. (Helena) | Helena | 3161 East Lyndale, Helena, MT 59604 (also listed as PO Box 5688, Helena, MT 59604) | (406) 442-0711 | unknown — named on DPHHS Water Laboratory Certification Program roster; call first |
| Alpine Analytical | Helena | 1315 Cherry Avenue, Helena, MT 59601 | (406) 449-6282 | unknown — named on DPHHS Water Laboratory Certification Program roster; call first |
| Billings Public Utilities Department (City of Billings Public Works — Water Quality) | Billings | 2251 Belknap, Billings, MT 59101 | (406) 657-8346 | unknown — named on DPHHS Water Laboratory Certification Program roster; call first |
| Bridger Analytical Laboratory | Bozeman | 7539 Pioneer Way, Suite C, Bozeman, Mt 59718 | (406) 582-0822 | unknown — named on DPHHS Water Laboratory Certification Program roster; call first |
| Montana Bureau of Mines and Geology | Butte | 1300 West Park, Butte, MT 59701 | (406) 496-4747 | unknown — named on DPHHS Water Laboratory Certification Program roster; call first |
| Montana Environmental Laboratory | Kalispell | 1170 N. Meridian, Kalispell, MT 59904-4363 (also listed as PO Box 8900, Kalispell, MT 59904) | (406) 755-2131 | unknown — named on DPHHS Water Laboratory Certification Program roster; call first |
| Aqua Tech Laboratory | Lewistown | 505 West Main, Suite 320, Lewistown, MT 59457 | (406) 538-6988 | unknown — named on DPHHS Water Laboratory Certification Program roster; call first |
| Great Falls Water Plant Lab | Great Falls | 1301 Lower River Rd., Great Falls, MT 59403-5021 | (406) 727-1325 | unknown — named on DPHHS Water Laboratory Certification Program roster; call first |
| Mission Mountain Laboratories | Ravali | 82892 US 93, Ravali, MT 59863 | (406) 370-1089 | unknown — named on DPHHS Water Laboratory Certification Program roster; call first |
| Missoula CCHD Water Lab | Missoula | 301 West Alder, Missoula, MT 59802 | (406) 523-4755 | unknown — named on DPHHS Water Laboratory Certification Program roster; call first |
| MSM Laboratory | Butte | 7305 Continental Dr., Butte, MT 59701 | (406) 491-5562 | unknown — named on DPHHS Water Laboratory Certification Program roster; call first |
| RD Water Lab, LLC | Missoula | PO Box 5064, Missoula, MT 59806 | (406) 721-8179 | unknown — named on DPHHS Water Laboratory Certification Program roster; call first |
| Water Technologies Laboratory | Missoula | 1709 South Ave West, Missoula MT 59801 | (406) 549-8868 | unknown — named on DPHHS Water Laboratory Certification Program roster; call first |
Official tools if you need more labs
- DPHHS Montana State Environmental Laboratory — private-well chemistry and microbiology forms.
- Private Well Chemistry form (PDF) · Private Well Bacteria form (PDF).
- DPHHS Water Laboratory Certification Program — full in-state and out-of-state certified roster.
- Environmental Laboratory Testing Fee Schedule (PDF) — confirm current fees; not republished here.
- Certification contact: (406) 444-5261 (as printed on the certification page).
- Secondary (Extension, not a lab roster for this table): MSU Extension — Testing Your Well Water · Certified Montana Drinking Water Labs · Well Educated program notes on that site.
- EPA certification program contacts.