HELENA — A Montana county has agreed to upgrade a small community drinking water system after securing $588,000 in grants.
The proposed agreement between Beaverhead County and the U.S. Department of Justice was filed Wednesday with a lawsuit that accused the Jackson drinking water system of multiple violations.
Federal environmental officials found that the groundwater system exceeded acceptable levels of arsenic and radioactive contaminants, and that the water and sewer district failed to monitor for contamination and file required disclosures.
The agreement between the county and the U.S. government must be approved by a judge after a public-comment period.
Under the deal, the county agrees to regularly monitor and report as soon as the deal takes effect. The county would have until the end of 2018 to upgrade the water system.