After nearly a week under a “Do Not Consume” order, residents in a section of Butte can now resume limited use of their tap water as local officials announced a downgrade to a Health Advisory on Monday.

The shift, confirmed during a press conference held by Butte-Silver Bow officials, comes as ongoing testing continues to show that water quality has stabilized following a contamination event linked to mining operations.

The advisory now applies only to individuals considered at increased health risk—including infants, elderly individuals, and those with severely compromised immune systems—within a defined zone in southeast Butte. These residents are encouraged to consult with healthcare providers before consuming tap water.

The emergency began on August 13, when mine water used for milling operations at Montana Resources was unintentionally cross-connected with the city’s potable water supply. A temporary shutdown and re-routing followed, and the most impacted zone—south of Farrell Street, west of Continental Drive, north of Ottawa Street, and east of Farragut and Howard Avenues—remains under caution.

The incident stemmed from a backflow event at a fire hydrant connection, where reused mining water inadvertently flowed back into a 16-inch city water main.

“When they connected to the fire hydrant, they had connected that and they were bringing in reused water as well. It over pressurized and went back into that 16-inch main,” said Chief Executive J.P. Gallagher. “We believe that was being forced back into their property… I’m not saying we know 100% that nothing came out, but we feel that that’s why it stayed contained on the Montana Resources property.”

Gallagher emphasized that early action by Montana Resources and ongoing monitoring suggests the contaminated water did not travel beyond the company’s property. He credited a coordinated effort between the city’s water department, the Montana Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ), and the Montana Bureau of Mines for quick response and water quality verification.

“Our water department was out there flushing, was out there taking samples… throughout the night,” Gallagher said. “Everybody’s working to help resolve this as quickly as possible.”

Montana Resources has taken responsibility for the event and is now installing backflow prevention systems to prevent future incidents. Gallagher said discussions are ongoing about potential compensation for local businesses that may have lost income during the water emergency.

“We’ve had conversations of them potentially setting up a claims area,” Gallagher noted.

When asked about the possibility of legal action, Gallagher remained cautious.

“Until I see it, I don’t know that I could answer that… It’s one of those things that until it happens, you react to it. I think all of our departments really worked hard in this.”

Bottled water distribution for vulnerable populations within the advisory zone will continue. Free water is at the Butte Civic Center. Residents who cannot travel to the site can call the hotline at 406-497-6440 to request delivery.

DEQ officials say if continued testing shows no exceedance of contaminant levels, the health advisory may be lifted entirely within the next week.

“Now that we had this happen, we’re working with Montana Resources and any of our other industrial users to make sure we have preventative measures in place,” Gallagher said. “This is the first time that we’ve had this happen… and they’ve been proactive.”

For now, most Butte residents can safely use their tap water again—but the situation remains under close watch as environmental authorities continue to test and assess water quality.