Montana Department of Environmental Quality

06/03/2026

MDT is keeping it real by watching for illegal discharges on state highways! If you spot something happening during your drive around town, report illicit discharges to your city.

Did you know that most storm drains in Montana lead directly to our local rivers and streams without treatment? This is why 'Illicit Discharges'—anything entering a storm drain that isn't rain or snowmelt—are such a big deal.
Keep an eye out for these red flags:
🚫Oily sheens or floating foam/suds
🚫Discolored water (brown, yellow, red, or green) entering a drain
🚫Unusual odors like sewage, sulfur, or chemicals
If you see something suspicious, report it! Your vigilance helps keep Montana’s waters clean for everyone. mdt.mt.gov/pubinvolve/stormwater/

05/29/2026

Have you ever wondered what happens to your recycling after it goes in the bin in Montana? This Recycling in Action Month, DEQ visited City of Helena, Local Government Transfer Station to hear how materials from our rural state move and are repurposed. Let's hear from Sustainability and Recycling Coordinator Emily Jacobson on what it takes for us to recycle in Helena, and why it's worth it!

Solid Waste Association of North America

05/28/2026

Test your knowledge about the interests of the Montana Wetland Council and our members this .

Top four answers on the board. We asked 100 Montana Wetland Council participants what wetland topics they are most interested in.

Like and add your answers in the comments and stay tuned for part two to see how many you got right!

05/24/2026

DEQ offices will be closed Monday, May 25, 2026. We will be out getting some sunshine! Normal business hours resume on Tuesday.

05/20/2026

To celebrate , we highlight the importance of wetlands, such as the one featured in Big Hole Watershed Committee's recent documentary, Restoring the Headwaters. The Sage Smith Springs restoration project is an important headwater fen, storing vast amounts of water, discharging cool water, and helping to support fish and aquatic life. Water storage increases the resiliency of these wetland systems and downstream waters in the face of a changing climate. Protecting and restoring wetlands benefits people, communities, the economy, and the environment.

DEQ helped to fund the Smith Sage Springs restoration with Section 319 Clean Water Act funding. The restored wetland system will reduce nonpoint source pollution by helping filter out excess sediment and nutrients. DEQ's Wetlands program also provided small project assistance funding towards development of the film. We are grateful for our partners in education and outreach and the restoration and protection of wetlands!

05/19/2026

Why are so many, including American Lung Association, taking notice of Montana’s PurpleAirs in Schools program? May is National Clean Air Month and Wildfire Awareness Month, which is the perfect opportunity to highlight how this nonregulatory program allows access to regionally specific data and an opportunity for better decision making when it comes to community health.

Over the last four years, the Air Quality Bureau at DEQ brought in $1.7 million in new grant funding to expand access to air quality data statewide. This allows schools access to free PurpleAir sensors to check the air quality in their immediate vicinity. Permanent air quality monitors are installed around the state, but additional sensors allow for more localized air quality information.

In addition to giving schools access to their air quality data, these outdoor sensors are now LIVE on Today's Air, Montana state government's most visited website (a humble brag). Recently, DEQ said goodbye to the Ambient Air Quality Monitoring program supervisor Kelly Dorsi, PhD. Kelly supported many of these projects and we extend a heartfelt thanks as she moves on to an exciting new opportunity!

05/14/2026

May is Wildfire Awareness Month so it's time to prepare for wildfire season! Get ready by signing up for DEQ's free regular alerts detailing smoke activity within the state. Smoke forecasts provide information on specific fires, decreased air quality due to smoke, smoke intensity maps, and a link to Today's Air to check air quality in your community.

When you sign up for smoke forecasts, you get an email or text message warning you of potential smoke impacts. Using this information, you can make educated decisions for your health and plan for the summer days ahead. To sign up for smoke forecast alerts, visit https://deq.mt.gov/air/Programs/smokeforecasts.

05/13/2026

Arlee high schoolers are making a big impact! More than a decade ago the students leading the Environmental Advocates for Global and Local Ecological Sustainability (EAGLES) club at Arlee High School began inspiring change within their community. Their projects concerned air quality, radon mitigation, nature gardens, water quality monitoring, and recycling.

You can read about this and more on DEQ's new Featured Stories page, where we highlight the good environmental work being done across the state. To learn more, visit https://deq.mt.gov/DEQNews!

05/11/2026

DEQ is hiring two professional engineers to join our Water Quality Division! In the Drinking Water State Revolving Fund, you will be responsible for engineering review and analysis to ensure public drinking water facilities are constructed and operated in compliance with statutes, policies, and state and federal regulations. This position works with facilities and provides engineering project management for a variety of technically complex projects. This position acts as an engineering liaison between DEQ and the public and municipalities.

As a professional engineer for DEQ's Public Watery Supply and Subdivisions programs, you'll consult, investigate, evaluate, plan, and review engineering works and systems, such as drinking water, wastewater, and subdivision components.

Interested? Learn more at https://deq.mt.gov/careers.

05/09/2026

Every time you use water at home, at work, or at school, you’re relying on a team of trained professionals who run and maintain your water system. Water and wastewater operators are the unsung heroes of a healthy community. To learn more about water and wastewater certification in Montana, visit https://deq.mt.gov/water/Programs/operator.