Federal environmental officials this week announced that over $18 million from last year’s infrastructure bill will help small Montana communities test for water contaminants.
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency says the funding will be distrusted through a grant program aimed at helping small communities that wouldn’t otherwise be able to afford to test and treat drinking water for contaminants that aren’t currently regulated by the agency.
The Montana Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) will administer the funds. Greg Montgomery, who helps run the agency’s lead testing in schools, says this funding will allow communities and the department to get a handle on levels of potentially harmful contaminants and high levels of naturally occurring minerals like manganese, which is common in western states.
“The testing itself isn’t that expensive. This funding will be a big help for remediation and treatment,” Montgomery said.
Montgomery also says the DEQ is still developing the grant program so that smaller communities can soon apply for that funding.
