0 named for coliform bacteria itself on the list.
Per the state list or a state web page. Call to confirm.
Located outside Montana but on its list.
USGS estimate for Montana.
How many labs test for coliform bacteria in Montana
19 labs on Montana's official drinking-water lab list are certified to test for coliform bacteria. Of these, 19 hold a group certification that includes it. 1 of them is marked as taking samples from the public. They are listed first. 5 are located outside Montana.
The list is published by the Montana Department of Public Health and Human Services (DPHHS) - Laboratory Services, Water Laboratory Certification Program. List version on file: page as fetched 2026-11-15 (no date printed). Fetched 2026-11-15 (UTC).
Montana labs certified for coliform bacteria
Marked as taking public samples (1)
| Lab | Location | Bacteria certification | Public samples | Cert. expiry |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| DPHHS State of Montana Environmental Laboratory | Helena, MT | Certified for a group that includes coliform bacteria: confirm with the lab | Public samples: yes (per state) | Not on the list |
Other labs on the list (18)
| Lab | Location | Bacteria certification | Public samples | Cert. expiry |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alpine Analytical | Helena, MT | Certified for a group that includes coliform bacteria: confirm with the lab | Public samples: ask the lab | Not on the list |
| Anatek Labs | Moscow, ID | Certified for a group that includes coliform bacteria: confirm with the lab | Public samples: ask the lab | Not on the list |
| Aqua Tech Laboratory | Lewistown, MT | Certified for a group that includes coliform bacteria: confirm with the lab | Public samples: ask the lab | Not on the list |
| Astro-Chem Lab Inc. | Williston, ND | Certified for a group that includes coliform bacteria: confirm with the lab | Public samples: ask the lab | Not on the list |
| Bridger Analytical Laboratory | Bozeman, MT | Certified for a group that includes coliform bacteria: confirm with the lab | Public samples: ask the lab | Not on the list |
| Culligan Analytical Laboratory | Rosemont, IL | Certified for a group that includes coliform bacteria: confirm with the lab | Public samples: ask the lab | Not on the list |
| Energy Laboratories, Inc. | Billings, MT | Certified for a group that includes coliform bacteria: confirm with the lab | Public samples: ask the lab | Not on the list |
| Energy Laboratories, Inc. | Helena, MT | Certified for a group that includes coliform bacteria: confirm with the lab | Public samples: ask the lab | Not on the list |
| Mission Mountain Laboratories | Ravali, MT | Certified for a group that includes coliform bacteria: confirm with the lab | Public samples: ask the lab | Not on the list |
| Missoula CCHD Water Lab | Missoula, MT | Certified for a group that includes coliform bacteria: confirm with the lab | Public samples: ask the lab | Not on the list |
| Montana Environmental Laboratory | Kalispell, MT | Certified for a group that includes coliform bacteria: confirm with the lab | Public samples: ask the lab | Not on the list |
| MSM Laboratory | Butte, MT | Certified for a group that includes coliform bacteria: confirm with the lab | Public samples: ask the lab | Not on the list |
| NOVA Biologics, Inc. | Conroe, TX | Certified for a group that includes coliform bacteria: confirm with the lab | Public samples: ask the lab | Not on the list |
| PACE Analytical-Sheridan | Sheridan, WY | Certified for a group that includes coliform bacteria: confirm with the lab | Public samples: ask the lab | Not on the list |
| RD Water Lab, LLC | Missoula, MT | Certified for a group that includes coliform bacteria: confirm with the lab | Public samples: ask the lab | Not on the list |
| Water Technologies Laboratory | Missoula, MT | Certified for a group that includes coliform bacteria: confirm with the lab | Public samples: ask the lab | Not on the list |
| Billings Public Utilities Department | Billings, MT | Certified for a group that includes coliform bacteria: confirm with the lab | Public samples: ask the lab Looks like a utility or municipal lab, judging by the name (our label, not the state list) | Not on the list |
| Great Falls Water Plant Lab | Great Falls, MT | Certified for a group that includes coliform bacteria: confirm with the lab | Public samples: ask the lab Looks like a utility or municipal lab, judging by the name (our label, not the state list) | Not on the list |
How the Montana list marks public samples (whole list). Yes for the DPHHS State Environmental Laboratory: its page says "We provide analytical, consulting, and training services to the general public" and offers Private Well Testing packages (chemistry, microbiology). Not stated for the other labs: DPHHS's list is of labs certified to analyze Montana's public drinking water supplies.
Before you send a sample, call the lab to confirm it is currently certified for the exact test and method, that it accepts samples from homeowners, and how to collect and ship them. Status can change between list updates.
Why test for coliform bacteria in Montana
About a third of the 397 domestic wells tested for bacteria in a national USGS study had total coliform. Read our coliform bacteria explainer.
EPA advises private-well owners to test every year for total coliform bacteria, nitrates, total dissolved solids and pH. [1]
Montana guidance that mentions coliform bacteria:
- MSU Extension's Well Educated program calls a bacteria (coliform and E. coli) and nitrate test the minimum test recommended for all private well owners every year. For people who have not tested in recent years, or ever, it suggests a basic domestic analysis (alkalinity, bacteria, conductivity, nitrate and pH). [2]
- The Montana State Environmental Laboratory (DPHHS) tests private well water. It offers chemistry packages that screen for metals, nutrients, anions, organics and more, several bacteria-only options, and individual tests. Samples can be sent by any mail carrier, by the lab's courier service (free of charge) or delivered by hand. [3]
- For the private well chemistry screens, the state lab requires payment in advance. Bacteria samples must reach the lab within 48 hours of collection. [4]
Prices at Montana State Environmental Laboratory, Chemistry Testing for Private Well sample submission form, July 2025 ("Prices subject to change"). The form says discounted prices for metals and organics testing are temporarily unavailable, so full prices are listed. Bacteria-only prices are on a separate form that was not read., as published when checked on 3 Nov 2026. Private certified labs set their own prices.
| Test | Price |
|---|---|
| Basic Screen (coliform and E. coli presence/absence, nitrate + nitrite, specific conductivity) | $55 [4] |
About 304,630 people in Montana used private wells in 2015, by the USGS estimate of people on domestic self-supplied water. [5] Federal limits are written for public water systems, not private wells, so testing is up to the owner.
For tests that depend on your home (farms nearby, old plumbing, a new baby), use the which-tests checklist. When results arrive, check your numbers against EPA's limits. State guidance, county data and every lab: Montana.
- U.S. EPA, Protect your home's water
- Montana State University Extension Water Quality, Well Educated Parameter Choice Guide and Glossary
- Montana Department of Public Health and Human Services, Montana State Environmental Laboratory
- Montana DPHHS State Environmental Laboratory, Chemistry Testing for Private Well, Sample Submission Form (July 2025)
- USGS, Estimated use of water in the United States, county-level data for 2015 (Dieter et al., ver. 2.0, 2018)
- Montana DPHHS Water Laboratory Certification Program - Certified Laboratories (official list)
Montana DPHHS Water Laboratory Certification Program - Certified Laboratories.
Official sourceSearch by city or ZIP among labs for coliform bacteria.
Open the finder →