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Summary of EPA actions to ensure safe drinking water for Utah residents

Release Date: 11/28/2007
Contact Information: Diane Sipe, 303-312-6391, [email protected] David Janik, 303-312-6917, [email protected]

(Denver, Colo., Nov. 28, 2007) The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Region 8 issued one administrative order and one notice of violation in Utah from April 2007 through September 2007 under the Safe Drinking Water Act.

EPA issues an administrative order when a public water system violates the Safe Drinking Water Act and its regulations. An administrative order requires the public water system to comply with the drinking water regulations and includes action items for returning to compliance. In Utah, EPA and the State work together through a workshare arrangement to identify public water systems against which EPA will take federal enforcement action. Utah also has authority to issue enforcement actions against water systems in the state. EPA is first required to issue a notice of violation to the State before EPA takes a federal action against a public water system that violates the SDWA. In some cases, EPA issues a notice of violation to the State but does not issue a subsequent administrative order.

EPA issued an administrative order to the following Utah public water system:

Dutch John, Utah, due to inadequate disinfection byproduct precursor removal of total organic carbon, and failure to monitor for TOC, nitrate, pesticides, and total coliform. The system has returned to compliance with monitoring requirements and has made system modifications to increase disinfection byproduct precursor removal.

EPA also issued a notice of violation to the State of Utah, without a subsequent EPA administrative order due to the system’s return to compliance with monitoring requirements, for the Diamond Ranch Academy in Hurricane, Utah. Over the last five years the public water system failed to monitor for maximum residual disinfectant levels, nitrate, lead/copper, total coliform bacteria, and had one total coliform maximum contaminant level exceedance. A new operator for the system was hired in March 2007 and has completed all monitoring to bring the system back into compliance.

EPA oversees the protection of public health and the environment in Colorado, Montana, North Dakota, South Dakota, Utah and Wyoming. Compliance and enforcement are important components of public health and environmental protection which encourage governments, businesses and other regulated entities to meet their environmental and public health obligations.