Water for drinking & domestic use

Drinking Water in the Uncompahgre Valley

Montrose County FAQ (most answers apply to Ouray County as well)

The Upper Uncompahgre River Watershed has three four water utilities that supply water for drinking and use at home and businesses:

City of Ouray (city residents)

Dallas Creek Water Company (Loghill Village)

Project 7 (through Tri-County Water)

Town of Ridgway (town residents)

Tri-County Water Conservancy District (other areas of Ouray County)

Private Wells

For results on well water testing between 2016 and 2020, go to West Central Public Health Private Well Water Quality Study

From the Ouray County website:

Drinking Water from Private Wells

  • Private well water quality is not regulated, so providing safe drinking water from a private well is the responsibility of the well owner.
  • These publications address the following topics: 
    • Groundwater quality and potential contaminants
    • Naturally occurring sources of pollution
    • Installing a new well
    • Well location and setbacks
    • How to protect your ground water supply 
    • Well construction and maintenance 
    • Abandoned wells 
    • Water testing 
    • Interpreting your water test result 
    • FAQs about well water quality 
  • Well Water Brochure 
  • Western Slope laboratories certified to test drinking water: 

Enviro-Chem Analytical
685 West Gunnison Avenue Suite 108 
Grand Junction, CO
(970) 242-6154

Water testing at the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment Laboratory is also available. Sampling Supplies can be ordered here. 
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Click here for a full list of laboratories in Colorado certified for testing drinking water. Consultation on what types of testing may be needed for your well is also available through the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment by calling (303) 692-3048.