Great Falls, Montana Water Outage Today
Live Great Falls water outage reports, City of Great Falls Public Works’s emergency line and the system’s federal record.
Weather data by Open-Meteo.com
No water outage reports in Great Falls, Montana in the last 24 hours
Who supplies water in Great Falls?
Drinking water in Great Falls, Montana is supplied by City of Great Falls Public Works, which handles outages, main breaks and boil water notices for the city.
Public water systems in Montana are regulated by the Montana Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ).
Great Falls water system at a glance
City of Great Falls is the water system EPA lists for Great Falls, serving about 60,000 people. Customers know it as City of Great Falls Public Works; the name on your bill is the one to call.
| Item | Detail |
|---|---|
| Water system in EPA records | City of Great Falls (MT0000525) |
| Run by | Local government |
| People served | 60,000 through 22,477 service connections |
| Source of the water | Surface water (rivers, lakes or reservoirs) |
| Active facilities listed by EPA | 2 surface intakes, 1 treatment point, 5 storage tanks and reservoirs, 3 pump facilities |
| State regulator | Montana Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) |
| Health-based violations since 2015 | 5 |
| Highest lead result (90th percentile) | 12 ppb, action level 15 ppb |
Source: EPA SDWIS (Safe Drinking Water Information System).
Source water and treatment in Great Falls
Tap water in Great Falls starts as surface water. City of Great Falls takes it from Primary and the Missouri River and runs it through treatment before it reaches the mains. After treatment the water is held in 5 storage tanks and reservoirs and pushed uphill by 3 pump facilities; that storage is the buffer that keeps taps running for a few hours after a pump or main fails.
The outage angle. Because the water is drawn from open surface sources, it has to be filtered and disinfected continuously. A plant problem therefore hits everyone at once, unlike a main break, which only dries up the blocks on either side of the damaged pipe.
What causes water outages and low pressure in Great Falls
Which failures hit Great Falls hardest follows from its weather, its housing stock and how it is supplied.
- Freezing weather. Great Falls sees about 161 days a year with a low at or below 32°F, and 59 days at or below 20°F. The coldest morning in the 2015 through 2025 record came on December 22, 2022. The longest stretch with highs that never rose above freezing ran 32 days, ending March 6, 2019. Frozen service lines and meters cause single-address outages, while ground frost and thaw cycles crack older mains and produce the street-wide breaks.
- Older neighborhoods and pipe. 57.5% of occupied homes in Great Falls were built before 1970, against 35.5% nationally. Streets of that age tend to sit on cast iron and early steel mains that are near or past their design life, which is where most breaks start.
- Flooding and heavy rain. NOAA logged 42 flood, flash flood and heavy rain reports in Cascade County from 2015 through 2026. Flooding is hard on water systems in three ways: it erodes soil around pipe crossings, drowns pumps and electrical equipment, and can let contaminated runoff into the mains, which triggers precautionary boil notices.
- Storm-driven power loss. Thunderstorm wind, hail and tornado reports in Cascade County number 175 since 2015. Pump stations and treatment plants that depend on NorthWestern Energy run on the electric grid, so a storm that downs power lines can lower water pressure even when no pipe is damaged.
- Damage from other crews. Water mains share the ground with gas, power and telecom lines, and a strike by any contractor can dry up a block in seconds.
- One-address problems. A closed valve, a meter swap or a failed regulator can leave a single house dry. Compare notes with a neighbor first; if they have water too, start with your own plumbing.
Freeze, heat and rain: the Great Falls weather record
Main break season in Great Falls runs from late fall into early spring, with the coldest stretch around December through February.
| Measure | Value |
|---|---|
| Days a year at or below 32°F | 161.3 |
| Days a year at or below 20°F | 59.1 |
| Days a year with a high at or below 32°F | 41.5 |
| Days a year at or above 95°F | 3.3 |
| Days a year at or above 100°F | 0 |
| Days a year with an inch of rain or more | 0.4 |
| Average annual precipitation | 18.9 in |
| Wettest year | 2023 (21.8 in) |
| Driest year | 2021 (15.2 in) |
| Coldest day in the record | December 22, 2022 |
| Hottest day in the record | June 14, 2021 |
Source: NASA POWER daily reanalysis (MERRA-2) for the city center, 2015–2025.
Freezing days peak in January, averaging 29.5 a year. Source: NASA POWER reanalysis, 2015–2025.
The wettest year was 2023 with 21.8 inches; the driest was 2021 with 15.2. Source: NASA POWER reanalysis, 2015–2025.
A note on the numbers: they are modeled for the city center and averaged over eleven years, so they show how often Great Falls sees each kind of weather, not what any one thermometer read on a given day.
Great Falls boil water notices and EPA compliance record
EPA lists 5 health-based violations for City of Great Falls since 2015, which is more than most systems of its size.
Most recent health-based entries:
- April 2019: Drinking water above the legal limit for haloacetic acids It is marked resolved.
- January 2019: Drinking water above the legal limit for haloacetic acids It is marked resolved.
- October 2018: Drinking water above the legal limit for haloacetic acids It is marked resolved.
| Type of violation | Health-based | Monitoring and other |
|---|---|---|
| Disinfection byproducts | 5 | 0 |
Source: EPA SDWIS.
Monitoring and other Health-based
Violations are counted by the year the compliance period began. Source: EPA SDWIS.
A boil water notice in Great Falls is a separate thing from a violation. City of Great Falls Public Works issues one when pressure falls low enough for contamination to enter the pipes, after a main break is repaired, or when a routine test comes back positive. The Montana Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) oversees the process, and the notice stays until clean samples come back, usually a day or two after pressure returns.
What the lead tests and housing age say about Great Falls
The most recent 90th-percentile lead result filed for City of Great Falls is 12 ppb (2026). The federal action level is 15 ppb, so that result is under it, but not by much.
Highest result on file: 12 ppb. Source: EPA SDWIS.
57.5% of occupied homes in Great Falls were built before 1970, and lead service lines and solder stayed legal until the federal ban in 1986. After any outage that disturbs the pipes, run the cold tap 30 seconds to 2 minutes before drinking, and ask City of Great Falls Public Works about its lead service line inventory.
When will the water come back on in Great Falls?
Most repairs of an ordinary main break in Great Falls take half a day once the crew is on site. Bigger mains, deep bury and busy roads stretch that to a day or more.
| Situation | Typical time |
|---|---|
| Planned shutoff | A few hours inside a window announced in advance |
| Ordinary main break | Half a day once the crew has isolated the pipe |
| Large or deep main | One to three days, longer if parts must be ordered |
| Low pressure after a pump or power failure | Hours to a day, once power or the pump is restored |
| Boil water notice after service returns | One to two days while samples are tested |
| Frozen service line or meter | Depends on thaw; a plumber is usually needed |
Source: Utility practice, EPA and state boil water guidance.
Ask City of Great Falls Public Works for a restoration estimate when you report the outage; for large breaks it is normally posted and updated as the repair progresses.
How much water to keep on hand in Great Falls
Census figures put the typical Great Falls household at about 2.3 people. At one gallon per person per day that is 7 gallons for three days or 32 gallons for a two-week supply.
- 20% of residents are 65 or older (US 17.2%); older adults dehydrate faster and may need help moving heavy water jugs.
- 18.1% of residents report a disability (US 13.3%), so check on neighbors who rely on running water for medical equipment.
- 4.2% of homes are mobile or manufactured homes, whose pipes are more exposed to freezing and have less room for a water heater tank as backup.
- Do not forget the water heater: the tank holds roughly 30 to 50 gallons you can drink after it is switched off and allowed to cool.
- If a planned shutoff or storm is coming, fill the tub and some buckets for flushing toilets and washing; keep drinking water in clean sealed containers.
How Great Falls compares with nearby water systems
| City | System | People served | Source | Health violations since 2015 | Highest lead (ppb) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Great Falls, MT | City of Great Falls | 60,000 | Surface | 5 | 12 |
| Bozeman, MT | City of Bozeman | 56,000 | Surface | 0 | 5 |
| Missoula, MT | Missoula Water | 68,200 | Ground | 0 | 22 |
| Billings, MT | City of Billings | 114,000 | Surface | 0 | 5 |
Source: EPA SDWIS.
Water outage pages for nearby cities
Where to find official Great Falls water notices
Official word on main breaks, planned shutoffs and boil advisories comes from City of Great Falls Public Works, not from this page. Our water outage guide explains what each kind of notice asks you to do.
Great Falls quick answers about water service
Who do I call about no water in Great Falls?
Call the 24-hour line of City of Great Falls Public Works. Call 911 only if flooding or a main break puts people or property in immediate danger.
Is Great Falls water from a river, lake or well?
Surface water supplies Great Falls, according to EPA records for City of Great Falls. It draws from Primary and the Missouri River.
Is the water in Great Falls safe?
EPA lists 5 health-based violations for City of Great Falls since 2015, most recently drinking water above the legal limit for haloacetic acids in April 2019, and its latest 90th-percentile lead result is 12 ppb against the 15 ppb action level. After a boil water notice, follow it until the utility lifts it.
When is water main break season in Great Falls?
Winter, mostly. Great Falls sees roughly 161 days a year at or below freezing, and the peak runs December through February. Expect breaks to cluster just after sharp temperature swings.
Why did the water pressure drop at my house in Great Falls?
A sudden drop usually means a break or valve problem nearby, while a slow decline in the evening points to demand. If the whole street is affected, tell City of Great Falls Public Works; if not, look at your own regulator and shutoff.
How long do boil water advisories last in Great Falls?
Typically a day or two. Bacteria tests take about 24 hours, so City of Great Falls Public Works cannot end a notice until clean samples come back; the Montana Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) sets the rules for that process.
How many gallons of emergency water does a Great Falls family need?
One gallon per person per day is the FEMA minimum. For Great Falls that means about 7 gallons to cover three days for an average household of 2.3, and 32 gallons for two weeks.
Should I worry about lead in Great Falls water?
57.5% of occupied homes in Great Falls were built before 1970, and lead service lines were not banned until 1986. Ask City of Great Falls Public Works whether your service line is on its lead inventory, and use a filter certified for lead if you are unsure.
Where can I see water outages in Great Falls?
There is no pipe-level map on this site. The report counter above reflects what residents of Great Falls have sent in over the last day, and City of Great Falls Public Works has the official word on main breaks, planned shutoffs and boil notices.
More outage pages for Great Falls and nearby
Other outage types in Great Falls
Water Service Outages in cities near Great Falls
- Bozeman, MT 126 mi · City of Bozeman Water
- Missoula, MT 134 mi · Missoula Water
- Billings, MT 178 mi · City of Billings Public Works
- Spokane Valley, WA 277 mi · Vera Water & Power
- Idaho Falls, ID 281 mi · Idaho Falls Water Division
- Spokane, WA 286 mi · City of Spokane Water Department
Report counts are user-submitted; other figures name their official source. How our data works
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