eLABorations

Montana Environmental Laboratory Newsletter

Updates from the MT Laboratory Services Bureau
800-821-7284
Lab Website

April, 2025

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

Financial

• 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

Water Testing

• Expansion

  • We are excited to announce the modernization and expansion of our Environmental Laboratory! This long-awaited project, made possible by federal grant funding to improve infrastructure, expand capacity, and support new testing for emerging contaminants, will significantly enhance our capabilities and improve our service delivery.

  • To support this exciting transformation, which includes installing a brand-new HVAC system, expanding our testing space, improving water purity, and acquiring state-of-the-art instrumentation, we will temporarily need to use a trusted certified reference laboratory for some of our routine testing. This proactive approach guarantees uninterrupted service and upholds the highest quality standards for our customers. We are trying to make this process as seamless as possible.

  • All testing prices will remain the same except for the following Private Well Testing Screens (Blue Form):

    • Private well scans

    • Private well herbicides

    • Private well pesticides

    • Private well VOC’s

  • If you plan to send any of these referenced tests to us, please consult a chemist regarding pricing. We are committed to ensuring full transparency with our customers.

  • We will continue sending collection bottles and receiving samples for routine water testing, including basic screens and anion screens, and the group pricing will remain the same for these tests. Individual Metals and individual Organics testing requests will be referred to a certified laboratory, and our current price schedule (Pink Form) will still apply to these analyses. There should be little impact on turnaround time.

  • Once the upgrades are complete, our modernized laboratory will be equipped with state-of-the-art instruments, allowing us to improve our turnaround time and expand our testing services. These new capabilities will enhance our commitment to delivering thorough and reliable environmental analysis.

  • We thank you for your patience and understanding during this journey. We are confident that the improved facility and expanded services will significantly benefit our valued customers and the community we serve. If you have any questions, please give us a call at 800-821-7284.

• Has your private well been affected by flooding?

  • If your well has been covered by floodwaters, the drinking water is not safe to drink. Floodwaters may contain fecal material and other contaminants that may now be in your well water. During a flood, obtain water from a safe water supply, such as bottled water. Once the floodwaters have receded, shock chlorinate and flush your well.  Have your water tested for bacteria 7-10 days following disinfection to be sure it is safe to drink. See https://www.epa.gov/privatewells/what-do-your-private-well-after-flood for more information and give us a call to request testing supplies. 

• A reminder from the lab:

  • We are doing Consumer Confidence Report for 2024. We charge $75.00 per report. Call the Environmental Lab for more information on this service. We will try to get them back to you by June 1st. DEQ requires CCR to be returned to them by July 1st. 
    • Environmental Lab Supervisor, Russ Leu 406-444-5259

DEQ Updates

• Updates

  • DEQ offices have temporarily moved to 2401 Colonial Drive, their building is going through an HVAC update. Op Cert & PWS programs are on the second floor of the Colonial building. Their telephone numbers are the same though.

Survey

• Customer Satisfaction Survey 

  • The Montana Laboratory Services Bureau (LSB) is part of the Department of Public Health and Human Services. Our bureau includes both the Public Health Laboratory and the Environmental Laboratory. We are dedicated to improving our customer service, and as a valued customer, we would greatly appreciate your feedback.

  • We kindly ask you to take a few moments to complete our Customer Satisfaction Survey. Your feedback on the quality of our services is very important to us, and we sincerely appreciate your honesty. The information you provide will help us identify key areas for improvement and enhance our services for all our customers. The survey deadline is April 30th.

  • Thank you for your time!

    • https://form.jotform.com/250507189131150

MRWS Conference

• MRWS 45th Technical Conference and Exhibition March 12-14th, 2025- Heritage Inn, Great Falls.

  • The Montana Rural Water Systems (MRWS) Technical Conference and Exhibition was a 3-day event attended by Montana rural water and wastewater system operators and various vendors including private companies and several state agencies.

  • Certified water and wastewater system operators attended classes for continuing education credit for maintaining their certification and licensure to conduct water and wastewater operations at public facilities in Montana. Non-certified water system operators could attend classes and take the State Operator Certification Exams.

  • There was a large exhibitor presence, which allowed water operators to interact with private companies and state agencies involved in water quality, testing, certification, and water policies.

  • This was a great opportunity to connect with our clients and contact other water operators. This networking time is essential for building strong relationships within the industry.

Kim Newman and Dani Lindeman attended the MRWS 45th Technical Conference and Exhibition in Great Falls, Montana, March 12-14, 2025.

Reminders:

• Upcoming Montana State Environmental Lab Closures:

  • Memorial Day: May 26th, 2025 (Monday)
  • Independence Day: July 4th, 2025 (Friday)

• Courier Service

  • The State Environmental Laboratory has a free courier service for water samples. Samples dropped off before the courier pick up time will reach the lab at 7:00 AM the following day. Samples delivered to the pickup location after the pick-up time will not reach the lab for two days. We recommend getting your samples to the drop off point one hour before the pick-up time. All total coliform samples must be to the lab within 30 hours of collection. HPC samples should be received within 24 hours of collection. Please keep this in mind when taking your samples. Please click here for our full courier schedule.

• 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.