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

Release Date: 11/28/2007
Contact Information: Diane Sipe, 303-312-6391, sipe.diane@epa.gov David Janik, 303-312-6917, janik.david@epa.gov

(Denver, Colo., Nov. 28, 2007) The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Region 8 issued 14 administrative orders, five emergency administrative orders and, and settled three complaints for penalty in Wyoming from April 2007 through September 2007 under the Safe Drinking Water Act.

EPA issues an emergency order when there is a potential for imminent and substantial endangerment to public health, such as when contaminants have been identified in a public water system or when the public water system has experienced a disruption in the system that may endanger public health. For each of the systems listed below, the drinking water no longer presents a threat to public health.

On August 21, 2007, EPA Region 8 issued an emergency administrative order against Grand Teton National Park’s Triangle X Ranch, Moose, Wyo for a turbidity violation.

Additional emergency administrative orders were issued on August 2, 2007 to Sleepy Hollow Subdivision, Gillette, Wyo; on July 20, 2007 to South Park Village Subdivision, Jackson, Wyo; and on July 11, 2007 to Shoshone Lodge, Cody, Wyo for the presence of E. Coli. An emergency administrative order was also issued to Wycolo Lodge, Laramie, Wyo on April 04, 2007 for the presence of fecal coliform.

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 that it violated and includes action items for returning to compliance. EPA issued administrative orders to the following public water systems:

Albin, Town of, Dixon, Wyo.
Alcova Dam Trailer Park, Alcova, Wyo.
Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks USA - Evanston Lodge, Evanston, Wyo.
Burns, Town of, Burns, Wyo.
Flying Saddle Lodge, Alpine, Wyo.
Keyhole State Park – Pronghorn, Moorcraft, Wyo.
Moose Enterprises - Dornan’s Moose Lodge, Moose, Wyo.
Poison Spider Water Company, Mills, Wyo.
Seven D, Cody, Wyo.
Six K Inc, Laramie, Wyo.
Teton Valley Ranch Camp, Jackson, Wyo.
Thunder Child Treatment Center, Sheridan, Wyo.
Turpin Meadow Ranch, Moran, Wyo.
Wapiti Lodge, Wapiti, Wyo.

EPA issues a complaint for penalty when a public water system violates an administrative order. EPA may settle a complaint for penalty for a monetary payment, the amount of which is based on a combination of the seriousness of the violations and the size of the population at risk, among other factors. EPA settled complaints for penalty with the following public water systems with the penalty amount noted:

Town of Encampment, Wyo
Penalty Amount: $2500.00

Line Shack Lodge, Dubois, Wyo
Penalty Amount: $500.00

Sandy Crossing Enterprises, Farson, Wyo
Penalty Amount: $800.00

SDWA establishes specific regulations to assure the safety of public drinking water. In the State of Wyoming, EPA directly implements the SDWA and issues enforcement actions to public water systems that fail to comply with the SDWA and its regulations.

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.