Serving Southern Jefferson County in the Great State of Montana

Articles written by Rebecca Colnar


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  • Homeowners Have Exempt Well Proliferation Concerns

    REBECCA COLNAR, Montana Farm Bureau Federation|Jul 22, 2026

    Commercial and residential subdivisions have been spreading across the Gallatin and Helena Valleys like a patchwork quilt, replacing open land. Concerns range from increased traffic to the loss of open space, but the gravest issue centers on water, both its quantity and quality. Increasingly, longtime residents and senior water-rights holders are finding themselves in conflict with rapid development fueled by Montana’s “exempt well” loophole. Developers have exploited a loophole in Montana water law to build subdivisions with exempt wells...

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