The Kitchen Table — Episode 2: When Your Kitchen Faucet Needs a Science Degree

Truth in Focus | Community Perspectives | The Kitchen Table — Episode 2
October 25, 2026
By Steven Bullcoming Haworth

There’s something rather interesting about living in rural Montana. We have beautiful landscapes, hardworking communities, and people who will give you the shirt off their backs. But apparently, depending on where you live, you might also need a chemistry degree just to understand what’s coming out of your kitchen faucet.

I’ve been dealing with questions about the water here in Ashland for some time now. I’ve seen discoloration, noticed buildup around faucets, and had concerns about the way the water sometimes smells. Now, I’m not a water-treatment engineer, and I’m certainly not going to announce that the water is unsafe simply because it looks questionable. But I do believe that when people turn on their faucets, they deserve more than crossed fingers and a hopeful prayer.

And that’s where our little conversation at the kitchen table begins.

The Cost of Living in Rural Montana

We talk about affordability all the time. Gasoline costs money. Electricity costs money. Groceries cost money. And when you’re living in a small community, getting somewhere to purchase supplies can mean another trip down the highway.

Now imagine adding concerns about your drinking water to that equation. Some families purchase bottled water. Others look into filters, private wells, or alternative supplies. Those solutions aren’t necessarily inexpensive, and not every household has the financial resources to pursue them.

I find it rather interesting that we live in a country capable of sending spacecraft across the solar system, yet some rural residents still struggle to get straightforward answers about something as basic as their drinking water.

Maybe NASA could develop a kitchen faucet that prints its own laboratory results. At least then we’d know what we’re dealing with before making coffee.

What Do the Records Actually Say?

Truth in Focus has already begun examining Ashland’s drinking-water records. Montana identifies the Ashland Water and Sewer District as a community public-water system using groundwater. Our earlier reporting also identified a November 2025 chlorine-monitoring violation, with state records showing a January 2, 2026 notice and a January 5, 2026 action indicating compliance was achieved.

That distinction matters. A monitoring violation does not automatically mean the water was contaminated, just as a clear glass of water does not guarantee the absence of every potential contaminant.

Montana’s Department of Environmental Quality requires community public-water systems to prepare annual Consumer Confidence Reports explaining water sources, detected contaminants, and regulatory compliance. These reports provide information residents can use to understand their drinking-water supply.

And I think that’s where we ought to begin: with the actual records.

What has been tested? What were the results? Have there been interruptions or maintenance problems? What should residents do when the water changes color or develops an unusual smell?

Those are reasonable questions. They don’t require a political affiliation, and they certainly shouldn’t require an advanced degree in government paperwork.

Infrastructure Doesn’t Fix Itself

Water systems require maintenance, equipment, trained personnel, and dependable funding. Rural communities face particular challenges because a smaller population may have to support infrastructure that is expensive to operate and repair.

But infrastructure is more than water pipes. It’s also roads, electricity, schools, communications, and other services that make everyday life possible.

When one part of that system becomes unreliable, the effects can extend throughout a household. Families may have to spend additional money, rearrange their schedules, or seek assistance that isn’t readily available.

I don’t expect any public official to wave a magic wand and replace an entire water system overnight. Although, if someone happens to have that wand, I would certainly appreciate an introduction.

What I do expect is transparency about problems, realistic plans for addressing them, and communication with the people paying for and depending on those services.

Accountability Is Not an Attack

One thing I’ve learned through my work with Truth in Focus is that asking questions sometimes makes people uncomfortable.

But asking where public money goes, how infrastructure is maintained, and whether residents are receiving accurate information is not an accusation of wrongdoing.

It’s accountability.

I believe we need to give water-system operators, local officials, tribal leaders, county representatives, and residents an opportunity to work together. That means recognizing legitimate concerns while also understanding the practical challenges involved in operating public infrastructure.

It also means residents deserve clear explanations when something goes wrong.

Not rumors. Not assumptions. And preferably not a fifteen-page instruction manual requiring three signatures, two witnesses, and a notarized affidavit simply to understand the water coming out of the faucet.

Back to the Kitchen Table

At the end of the day, this isn’t just about Ashland. It’s about rural communities across southeastern Montana, including families living in and around Lame Deer, Busby, Rosebud County, and the Northern Cheyenne Reservation.

Our communities may have different water systems, different infrastructure needs, and different governing authorities. But the underlying principle should be the same: everyone deserves reliable information about essential services.

We can disagree about budgets, priorities, and how problems should be solved. What we shouldn’t have to disagree about is whether the public deserves honest answers.

So here’s my question for local officials: Can we make water-quality information, maintenance plans, and infrastructure priorities easier for residents to find and understand?

And here’s my question for our neighbors: What infrastructure concerns are affecting your household, and what solutions would you like to see?

Because sometimes progress begins with something as simple as sitting around the kitchen table, listening to each other, and deciding that the problems we share deserve solutions we can work toward together.

And if anybody knows where I can purchase a kitchen faucet with a built-in laboratory, please let me know.

I’d prefer one that also makes coffee.

Sources and further reading

Editor’s note: The author’s observations are personal experiences, not laboratory findings. No determination about the current safety of Ashland’s drinking water is made in this column.