At a glance
- What it is certified to test
- 1 of the 9 common well tests on the MT list (see which)
- Price
- not published on the state list: ask the lab for a quote
- Turnaround
- not stated on the state list or the lab’s website: ask when you order
- Homeowner samples
- not stated: ask the lab
Lab facts
- Listed by
- Montana (Montana Department of Public Health and Human Services (DPHHS) - Laboratory Services, Water Laboratory Certification Program)
- Address
- 505 West Main, Suite 320, Lewistown, MT 59457 · Open in Google Maps
- Phone
- (406) 538-6988
- Certificate
- The Montana DPHHS Water Laboratory Certification Program - Certified Laboratories (version page as fetched 2026-11-15 (no date printed)) prints no certificate ID or expiry date for this lab.
- Public / homeowner samples
- Public samples: ask the labNot stated in the list.
- Left blank on the list
- The Montana list (version page as fetched 2026-11-15 (no date printed)) gives no website for this lab.
Tests on the state list
| Contaminant | On this state list |
|---|---|
| Coliform / E. coli | Group-level certification |
| Nitrate | Not named on this list |
| Arsenic | Not named on this list |
| Lead | Not named on this list |
| PFAS | Not named on this list |
| Uranium | Not named on this list |
| Radon (water) | Not named on this list |
| Manganese | Not named on this list |
| VOCs | Not named on this list |
Groups as written on the state list (1)
- Microbiology
- Named on the official list The state list names this analyte (or a column for it) for this lab.
- Group-level certification Certified for a parent group (e.g. 'Inorganics') that includes this analyte. Confirm the specific test with the lab.
- Partial group certification The list marks the group as 'Partial'. Confirm this analyte with the lab.
- Subcontracted The lab sends this analyte to another accredited lab (MDH 'X*').
DPHHS lists this lab under: Microbiology (Montana Laboratories). The page names no analytes, certificate number or expiry date. Microbiology: the program page says DPHHS certifies labs that analyze Montana's public drinking water supplies for "chemical and microbiological contaminants" under the Safe Drinking Water Act, where the microbiological drinking-water tests are total coliform / E. coli; the page names no organism or method, so bacteria is shown as a certified group, not a named test. Ask the lab which coliform test it runs.
Nearest labs that take homeowner samples
No other lab that takes homeowner samples is within 25 miles of this lab; the nearest is 100 miles away. Distances are straight-line from the address on the state list (approx. = ZIP-code centre). “Takes homeowner samples” comes from a state list column or the lab’s own website, as named.
| Lab and tests named on its list | Town | Distance | Tests in common with this lab | Price printed | Turnaround printed | Homeowner samples: source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Energy Laboratories, Inc.-Billings, Mt Arsenic, Lead, PFAS | Billings, MT | 100 mi | 0 | – | – | Washington list |
| Alpine Analytical Coliform / E. coli | Helena, MT | 126 mi | 1 | from $25 | We routinely report results within 5-... | lab’s own website, read 15 Nov 2026 |
| DPHHS State of Montana Environmental Laboratory Coliform / E. coli | Helena, MT | 127 mi | 1 | from $25 | – | Montana list |
| Bridger Analytical Laboratory Coliform / E. coli | Bozeman, MT | 127 mi | 1 | from $30 | Depending on the analytes selected, b... | lab’s own website, read 15 Nov 2026 |
| Energy Laboratories - Helena not broken down on its list | Helena, MT | 136 mi (approx.) | 0 | – | – | Colorado list |
Price and turnaround as printed on each lab’s own website and checked by a second reader; – = not published or not read yet.
Around this lab: Fergus County, MT
- Private wells: about 3,950 people, 35% of Fergus County’s 11,427 residents (USGS, 2015); rank 17 of 56 counties in Montana by people on wells.
- EPA radon zone (indoor air): Zone 1: highest potential (average indoor radon may be greater than 4 pCi/L). EPA says the zone map should not decide whether one home needs testing.
- Arsenic above 10 µg/L (USGS model): about 95 private-well users (95% range 76 to 118; 2010 base), rank 33 of 56 in the state. A screening estimate, not a measurement of any well.
- Older homes (Census ACS 2020–2024): 67% of 6,012 housing units were built before 1980, above the state share of 49%. Homes built before 1986 are more likely to have lead solder or fittings, so test tap water for lead there.
- PFAS in public water nearby (public supply, not your well): 1 public system serving this county reported EPA UCMR 5 results; 0 had a PFOA or PFOS sample at or above 4.0 ng/L.
County figures describe where the lab is, not the lab. Sources: USGS 2015 water use and 2017 arsenic estimates, EPA radon zones, Census ACS table B25034 (2020–2024), EPA UCMR 5 (2023–2026); details and links on the sources page.
Before you send a sample
Call the lab to confirm it's currently certified for the exact test and method, that it accepts samples from homeowners, and how to collect and ship them. Bacteria samples have short holding times. Status can change between list updates. To check a status, contact the Montana certification program.
Is this your lab?
Labs can ask for corrections through the agency that publishes their state list. Homeowner service, prices and turnaround above come only from the lab’s own website. To ask us to correct or remove this listing, write to us (how we handle listings).
Montana DPHHS Water Laboratory Certification Program - Certified Laboratories. Fetched 2026-11-15 (UTC). File SHA-256 81a2798702cb…
Open the official source list