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Water Back on at Montana State Prison

The facility is still under a boil order and providing bottled water for drinking

By Zeke Lloyd, Montana Free Press
A puddle of water gathers under the Secure Adjustment Unit on the afternoon of Oct. 15, 2025, after another leak is found in the piping inside Montana State Prison. Credit: Montana Department of Corrections

Running water returned to all parts of Montana State Prison this week, according to a press release from Montana Department of Corrections spokesperson Carolynn Stocker. The return comes a little more than two weeks after the department abruptly shut off supply to most of the facility in response to leaks in the system. 

The prison’s water supply, which tested positive for coliform bacteria in July, September and October, remains under a boil advisory from the Montana Department of Environmental Quality. The prison continues to supply inmates with bottled water for drinking. Inmates are using running water for bathing and flushing toilets.

On Oct. 9, MSP staff accidentally cracked a 50-year-old piece of the water infrastructure during routine work on the water system, according to The Missoulian. Inmates reported inhumane conditions in the week before water returned to some MSP units. 

Of the $21 million allocation approved by the 2025 Legislature for prison infrastructure upgrades, $10 million had been set aside for waterline upgrades, according to Stocker. She noted the amount necessary for water line renovations may change because of the incident.

This story originally appeared in the Montana Free Press, which can be found online at montanafreepress.org.

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