Photo: Nomadic Lass from Havre, MT, USA · CC BY-SA 2.0Living in Harlem, MT: what to set up and who to call
The City of Harlem water system reported 21 health-based violations to EPA in the last five years: disinfection byproducts (TTHM) ×17, disinfection byproducts (HAA5) ×2, a surface water treatment requirement (Long Term 2 Enhanced Surface Water Treatment Rule), a bacteria testing requirement (Revised Total Coliform Rule). 78% of systems its size reported none. Two school districts split the grades in Harlem: Harlem Elementary School District and Harlem High School District.
I’m new in town
What to set up in Harlem, 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 Harlem.
Power comes from NorthWestern Energy
NorthWestern Energy (NorthWestern Energy LLC - (MT)), an investor-owned utility, serves all of Harlem. 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 Harlem water system
The City of Harlem water system supplies almost all of Harlem. It draws surface water and serves 820 people in all.
21 health-based violations reported to EPA in the five years to October 2026: disinfection byproducts (TTHM) ×17, disinfection byproducts (HAA5) ×2, a surface water treatment requirement (Long Term 2 Enhanced Surface Water Treatment Rule), a bacteria testing requirement (Revised Total Coliform Rule), the latest beginning Apr 2026. 78% of the 5,327 systems serving 501–1,000 people had none.
The latest lead result on file, the 90th percentile of homes sampled in Jan 2016–Dec 2018, was 1.0 ppb, below the 15 ppb action level that applied. It’s from 2018: EPA has no newer result for this system.
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. MT0000239.
4 home internet providers serve Harlem
100% of 377 addresses can get 100/20 Mbps; 100% can get fiber.
| Provider | Technology | Addresses | Fastest (Mbps) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Triangle Communications | Fiber | 100% | 100/20 |
| Spectrum | Cable, Fiber | 96% | 1,000/1,000 |
| Verizon | Fixed wireless | 85% | 300/20 |
| T-Mobile | Fixed wireless | 71% | 100/20 |
FCC National Broadband Map, as of December 2025. Availability as providers report it, not speeds people get.
We don’t have Harlem’s trash rules yet
Pickup rules, the dump and recycling in Harlem.
Where your child goes to school
Public school districts and the school path by grade.
Harlem is in two districts that split the grades: Harlem Elementary School District and Harlem High School District.
Test scores and every school: see 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 2025; jurisdictions: EAC EAVS 2024. Registration rules and links: vote.gov, updated Nov 18, 2024.
Harlem is in ZIP code 59526
ZIP codes where Harlem residents live, with the share of the town in each.
| ZIP | Post office name | Share of Harlem | ZIP’s residents in Harlem |
|---|---|---|---|
| 59526 | Harlem, MT | 100% | 29% |
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 Harlem
Who supplies Harlem’s drinking water, and has it had violations?
The City of Harlem water system (EPA ID MT0000239). It reported 21 health-based violations to EPA in the five years to October 2026: disinfection byproducts (TTHM) ×17, disinfection byproducts (HAA5) ×2, a surface water treatment requirement (Long Term 2 Enhanced Surface Water Treatment Rule), a bacteria testing requirement (Revised Total Coliform Rule). 78% of systems its size had none. Its latest lead 90th percentile was 1.0 ppb (Jan 2016–Dec 2018), against a 15 ppb action level.
Who provides electricity in Harlem?
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 Harlem?
Triangle Communications, Spectrum, Verizon, T-Mobile (FCC, as of December 2025).
What ZIP codes are in Harlem?
59526. Census 2020 ZIP Code Tabulation Areas.
What school district is Harlem in?
Harlem Elementary School District and Harlem High School District.
How do I register to vote in Harlem?
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 Blaine 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: OpenStreetMap, Geofabrik extract of Oct 9, 2026. © OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL).
- 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.