Montana Water Treatment Operator Certification
Regulatory Authority
Drinking water treatment operators in Montana are certified by the Montana Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ). Certification uses a "B" designation for treatment operators, spanning four classes from Class 4B (entry-level) to Class 1B (highest) — note that in Montana's numbering convention, the number DECREASES as certification level increases, opposite of many other states.
Source Water Diversity
Montana's drinking water sources vary by region:
- Western Montana: dominated by Rocky Mountain snowpack and glacial-fed surface water.
- East of the Continental Divide: groundwater-dependent systems are more common.
- Clark Fork River basin (Butte/Anaconda area): site of the largest EPA Superfund complex in the United States, a legacy of over a century of copper and metals mining.