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The Montana State Environmental Laboratory, is an EPA Region 8 certified laboratory, performing private well testing and Public Water Supply testing for many families, schools, cities, and towns across Montana. We work closely with State and County health officials, and Tribal Governments, in responding to water emergencies throughout the state. The Montana State Environmental Laboratory is certified to perform Metals, Nutrient, Organic, Inorganic, and Microbiological testing on water and wastewater. We routinely work with private landowners as well as local, state, and federal programs providing testing services to characterize Montana water for the beneficial use of our citizens.
News and Updates
Water Testing
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Completely Fill Out Forms
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Please ensure that all information on the sample request forms is completed, including the date and time of collection, sample source ID, and the name of the individual collecting the sample. The laboratory needs this information before conducting any testing.
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It is also essential that the sample ID, date, and time are clearly written on the sample bottle label. If the bottle is not labeled correctly and becomes separated from the paperwork, it may go unidentified, leading to the need for resampling.
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Thank you for your cooperation in making this process more efficient.
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A reminder to all water operators
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The end of the three-year compliance period is quickly approaching on December 31, 2025. If you still need to collect samples, now is the time to place your bottle orders. Keep in mind that it takes time to have the bottles shipped to you. Additionally, as the weather is getting colder, there’s a risk that samples may freeze and break if they're left in a cold delivery vehicle for too long. If the bottles break, the samples won't be counted. Therefore, it’s best to submit your samples as early as possible to avoid running out of time in case you need to resample.
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Please note regarding shipping samples: USPS does not guarantee overnight shipping. Frequently, samples that need to arrive at the lab within 30 hours have been taking two or three days to arrive. However, the state still offers many courier locations where you can drop off your monthly samples. A list of these locations can be found on the Montana Public Health website. Courier Routes and Sample Delivery
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Just a reminder that the lab will be closed on these upcoming state holidays.
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Monday Oct 13
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Tuesday Nov. 11
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Thursday Nov. 27
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Thursday Dec 25
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Please don't hesitate to contact us if you have any questions. (800-821-7284)
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New Method: Total Organic Carbon
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The State Environmental Laboratory will soon be offering a new test for detecting total or dissolved organic carbon (TOC) in water and quantifying its concentration. Testing for TOC is essential for assessing the quality of water. TOC itself does not pose a health risk, but high levels of TOCs can indicate the presence of harmful organic contaminants, which can pose health risks to consumers and the environment.
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For facilities that discharge pollutants, such as wastewater treatment plants or industrial factories, the Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) requires TOC testing to be reported. Most drinking water treatment plants that use surface water also need to monitor TOC in raw water and finished water.
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For more information on Montana Drinking Water Rules, please visit Drinking Water Rules | Montana DEQ
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Expansion Update
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The upgrades to the State Environmental Laboratory, which include improved HVAC systems, increased laboratory space, and a new roof, are on schedule for completion in early 2026. The building was originally constructed in the 1950s, with an additional wing added in 1973.
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We appreciate our customers' patience throughout this long-overdue construction project. Our expanded lab space will be state-of-the-art, featuring new equipment and increased capacity to meet the needs of both public water supplies and private customers. We look forward to announcing an Open House once we have moved back into the laboratory, and we hope to see you there!
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Sample Dropoff
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During construction, all sample deliveries are being directed to the new laboratory loading dock. Please refer to the attached link for instructions regarding the new location of the laboratory loading dock.
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Submitting Samples to the Laboratory Services Bureau
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Government Shutdown
 Reminders:
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Online Payments
- Online payments now require an account to be created before payment can be made. If you do not want to create an account to pay your invoice online please reach out to our billing office at 406-444-2642 to pay your invoice. Credit/Debit card information will be required over the phone as well as phone number, billing address and an email address to send the receipt to. Remember a small fee is charged for paying with a credit/debit card. If you decide not to pay invoices with a credit/debit card we are still accepting payment by check and that can be mailed to:
- DPHHS – Laboratory
PO Box 4369
1400 Broadway Room B206
Helena, MT 59604-4369
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Upcoming Montana State Environmental Lab Closures:
- Independence Day: July 4th, 2025 (Friday)
- Courier will not run this day.
- Labor Day: September 1st, 2025 (Monday)
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Courier Service
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Previous eLABorations Newsletters
- All previous eLABorations newsletters can be found on our website on the column on the left hand side by selecting "Environmental Laboratory Newsletter". Here is the link to all our previous eLABorations newsletter.
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