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Latest summary of EPA actions to ensure safe drinking water in Utah

Release Date: 10/20/2009
Contact Information: Lisa Kahn, 303-312-6896, kahn.lisa@epa.gov

(Denver, Colo. – October 20, 2009) The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Region 8 issued 5 administrative orders and 6 notices of violation in Utah from April 1 through September 30, 2009, against public water systems under the Safe Drinking Water Act (SDWA).

Although the State of Utah is authorized to implement the Safe Drinking Water Act, EPA can take federal action against public water systems in the state that violate the act and its regulations. EPA issued administrative orders to Utah public water systems with multiple violations for which no State enforcement action was planned. An administrative order requires the public water system to comply with the drinking water regulations and includes action items for returning to compliance.

EPA issued administrative orders to the following Utah public water systems:

Chester Park Water System, Mt. Pleasant, Utah, due to its exceedance of the maximum contaminant level for total coliform bacteria and failure to monitor for total coliform bacteria, nitrate, lead and copper, pesticides, inorganic contaminants, and radionuclides, and failure to complete a consumer confidence report. The administrative order was issued on June 29, 2009, and the system is currently complying with the requirements specified in the order.

Dutch John, Utah, due to its failure to submit a surface water monitoring plan and failure to monitor for E. coli bacteria, lead and copper, disinfectant levels, turbidity and disinfection byproducts. The administrative order was issued on September 15, 2009, and the system is currently complying with the requirements specified in the administrative order.

East Carbon City, Utah due to its failure to submit a surface water monitoring plan and failure to monitor for E. coli bacteria, nitrate, inorganic contaminants, volatile organic contaminants, and disinfection byproducts. The administrative order was issued on September 9, 2009, and the system is currently complying with the requirements specified in the administrative order

Paradise RV Park, Panguitch, Utah, due to its failure to monitor for total coliform bacteria and nitrate. The administrative order was issued on September 17, 2009, and the system is currently complying with the requirements specified in the administrative order.

Sunset Park Water Co., Tremonton, Utah, due to its failure to monitor for nitrate, lead and copper, volatile organic contaminants, pesticides and inorganic contaminants, exceedance of the maximum contaminant level for total coliform bacteria and failure to take required actions after exceedance of the action level for lead. The administrative order was issued on August 31, 2009, and the system is currently complying with the requirements specified in the administrative order.

EPA also issued notices of violation to the State for the following public water systems, and will soon issue administrative orders to these systems:

Clean Harbors-Aragonite, Aragonite, Utah, due to failure to monitor for nitrate, lead and copper, inorganic contaminants, and disinfection byproducts.

Harmony Farms Water Users, New Harmony, Utah, due to failure to monitor for total coliform, nitrate, lead and copper, volatile organic contaminants, and radionuclides and its exceedance of the maximum contaminant level for total coliform bacteria.

Sorrel River Ranch, Moab, Utah, due to failure to submit a surface water monitoring plan and failure to monitor for E. coli bacteria, nitrate, total coliform bacteria, and failure to report turbidity monitoring results. The system has now submitted its surface water monitoring plan and begun monitoring for E. coli.

EPA issued notices of violation to the State for the following public water systems, but will not be issuing administrative orders to these systems for the reasons indicated:

Mt. Ogden Stake Camp, Ogden, Utah, due to its exceedance of the maximum contaminant level for total coliform bacteria, and failure to monitor for total coliform bacteria and nitrate. The State deactivated the system as a public water system.

Paragonah, Utah, due to its exceedance of the maximum contaminant level for total coliform bacteria, and failure to monitor for total coliform bacteria, nitrate, and inorganic contaminants. The State issued the system a bilateral compliance agreement covering the violations.

Woods Ranch, Parowan, Utah, for failure to monitor for total coliform bacteria and nitrate. EPA obtained all missing monitoring data from the laboratory and the system returned to compliance.

EPA Region 8 oversees the protection of public health and the environment in Colorado, Montana, North Dakota, South Dakota, Utah and Wyoming.