Living in East Helena, MT: what to set up and who to call
The City of East Helena water system reported one health-based violation to EPA in the last five years: a lead and copper treatment requirement (Lead and Copper Rule), beginning Nov 2022. Spectrum and The Montana Internet both wire most of East Helena; 1% of addresses can get fiber.
I’m new in town
What to set up in East Helena, and who provides it. Tap an answer for the details and where they come from.
Power, water and internet
Who to call to start service at a new address in East Helena.
Power comes from NorthWestern Energy
NorthWestern Energy (NorthWestern Energy LLC - (MT)), an investor-owned utility, serves all of East Helena. Its homes paid an average of 14.4¢ per kWh in 2025, about $102 a month (its average across Montana, for customers on its standard service). Montana lets you buy power from another supplier; 0% of NorthWestern Energy’s home customers do, and NorthWestern Energy still delivers it.
Start or move service: northwesternenergy.com · (888) 467-2669
Service territory: HIFLD Electric Retail Service Territories (map dated Aug 2023). Prices and customers: EIA-861, 2025.
Water comes from City of East Helena water system
The City of East Helena water system supplies almost all of East Helena. It draws ground water and serves 2,114 people in all.
1 health-based violation reported to EPA in the five years to October 2026: a lead and copper treatment requirement (Lead and Copper Rule), beginning Nov 2022. 78% of the 7,966 systems serving 1,001–3,300 people had none.
The latest lead result on file, the 90th percentile of homes sampled in Jan–Dec 2025, was 1.0 ppb, below the 15 ppb action level that applied. The highest in five years was 3.0 ppb. That’s lower than 52% of similar systems’ latest results.
The system’s full record: EPA ECHO report
EPA SDWIS via Envirofacts (violations pulled Oct 9, 2026) and ECHO (lead samples, 2026Q3); service area: EPA Community Water System Service Area Boundaries v3.0 (EPA’s estimate). Violations are counted by the start of their compliance period. MT0000196.
5 home internet providers serve East Helena
99% of 909 addresses can get 100/20 Mbps; 1% can get fiber.
| Provider | Technology | Addresses | Fastest (Mbps) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Spectrum | Cable, Fiber | 98% | 1,000/1,000 |
| The Montana Internet | Fixed wireless, Fiber | 92% | 1,000/1,000 |
| CenturyLink | DSL, Fiber | 81% | 10/1 |
| Quantum Fiber | Fiber | 12% | 940/940 |
| Verizon | Fixed wireless | 76% | 300/20 |
FCC National Broadband Map, as of December 2025. Availability as providers report it, not speeds people get.
Trash and recycling in East Helena
Pickup days, the drop-off and recycling in East Helena, from the town’s own site.
Elkhorn Landfill
- Mon7 am–4:30 pm
- Tue7 am–4:30 pm
- Wed7 am–4:30 pm
- Thu7 am–4:30 pm
- Fri7 am–4:30 pm
- Sat7 am–4:30 pm
Recycling bins
3301 Plant Road
From easthelenamt.us, the town’s official site, checked Oct 22, 2026. Rules change: the town’s page is the last word. .
Where your child goes to school
Public school districts and the school path by grade.
East Helena is in East Helena K-12.
BSchool gradeSee Schools →U.S. Department of Education, NCES Common Core of Data, 2024–25. Enrollment rules and registration are the district’s.
Town hall and registering to vote
Who to call, and how to register.
Election office: FVAP local election office directory, updated Jun 2021; jurisdictions: EAC EAVS 2024. Registration rules and links: vote.gov, updated Nov 18, 2024.
East Helena is in ZIP code 59635
ZIP codes where East Helena residents live, with the share of the town in each.
| ZIP | Post office name | Share of East Helena | ZIP’s residents in East Helena |
|---|---|---|---|
| 59635 | East Helena, MT | 100% | 25% |
Census 2020 ZIP Code Tabulation Areas, by census block; post office names: GeoNames (CC BY 4.0). ZIPs created since 2020 are missing.
Getting around, the ER and the library
One line each; the subject pages have the rest.
ER: CMS hospital data. Library: IMLS Public Libraries Survey, FY2024.
Questions about living in East Helena
Who supplies East Helena’s drinking water, and has it had violations?
The City of East Helena water system (EPA ID MT0000196). It reported 1 health-based violation to EPA in the five years to October 2026: a lead and copper treatment requirement (Lead and Copper Rule). 78% of systems its size had none. Its latest lead 90th percentile was 1.0 ppb (Jan–Dec 2025), against a 15 ppb action level.
Who provides electricity in East Helena?
NorthWestern Energy (NorthWestern Energy LLC - (MT)), an investor-owned utility. Its homes paid about 14.4¢ per kWh in 2025 (EIA).
What internet providers serve East Helena?
Spectrum, The Montana Internet, CenturyLink, Quantum Fiber, Verizon (FCC, as of December 2025).
What ZIP codes are in East Helena?
59635. Census 2020 ZIP Code Tabulation Areas.
What school district is East Helena in?
East Helena K-12.
How do I register to vote in East Helena?
Montana has no online registration; you can register in person up to and including Election Day or by mail (postmarked 30 days before). Elections here are run by the Lewis and Clark County Election Administrator. Check your registration at prodvoterportal.mt.gov.
Sources & dates
Every answer above names its source. Here they are with their dates.
- Water: EPA SDWIS (Envirofacts, pulled Oct 9, 2026), ECHO SDWA 2026Q3, EPA CWS Service Area Boundaries v3.0.
- Power: HIFLD Electric Retail Service Territories (map Aug 2023); EIA-861 final 2025.
- Trash: East Helena’s own website (easthelenamt.us), read Oct 22, 2026, pickup and drop-off facts extracted and checked against the page they came from.
- ZIP codes: Census 2020 ZCTA relationship files; GeoNames postal codes (CC BY 4.0).
- Schools: NCES Common Core of Data, 2024–25.
- Registration: vote.gov, updated Nov 18, 2024 (read Oct 10, 2026). Official sites and area codes: Wikidata.
- Election office: FVAP local election office directory (fetched Oct 10, 2026; each record dated), EAC EAVS 2024 jurisdictions; registration and lookup links from vote.gov’s state data, checked Oct 10, 2026.
- Internet: FCC National Broadband Map, as of December 2025.