Estimated read time: 2-3 minutes
- Rainstorms in northern Utah washed organic material into waterways, affecting water quality in Davis and Weber counties.
- The Weber Basin Water Conservancy District switched to groundwater as treatment plants struggled with increased organic levels.
SALT LAKE CITY — Rainstorms across northern Utah early this week washed a large amount of organic material into rivers and streams, forcing the Weber Basin Water Conservancy District to practically shut down treatment plants and switch to groundwater.
"This happens most every spring," water district general manager Scott Paxman told KSL.com. "This one was unusually worse."
Paxman believes the rain on frozen ground was able to wash "organics" — sticks, leaves, animal droppings and other biologic material — directly into waterways that feed the district's supply.
"We started seeing a really significant change in water quality," Paxman said, identifying drainage from Echo basin in Summit County as a major source for the organics.
The biggest tools used to treat organics are powder activated carbon and ozone, which attack and break down the material for removal, according to Paxman. Chlorine is then used to further sanitize water before it is distributed to the cities and towns serviced by the district.
Because of the higher amounts of organics, the treatment plants used more chlorine to treat water, before sending to "most every city in Davis (County) and Weber County," Paxman said. During the winter, this water is also mixed with water drawn from deep aquifer wells.
The district began to get calls from the east ends of Layton and Kaysville, along with Clearfield and Farmington, after residents became concerned about the more pronounced chlorine smell in the water.
"There was never a health issue," Paxman said. "Just an aesthetics issue — taste and odor." That water quality continues to meet all state and federal drinking water standards, social media posts from South Weber and Layton say. Municipalities are monitoring their water to make sure the water continues to meet standards, according to posts.
Still, while the organic levels remain high, the district "basically shut down treatment plants" and began using only well water, which is "much more stable," according to Paxman. Resident should expect the chlorine smelling water to be replaced with the well water Friday.
Due to forecasts of rain this weekend, the district will wait to return to a mix including surface water, possibly next week.
