Amid all the White House news that floods our media, we know we’re missing important stories that are less sensational. One of these is Flint, Michigan’s water drinking crisis – something that gripped our national attention four years ago and is still working toward a resolution. But, it got us thinking – how is Park City’s drinking water? We’ve all been watching the multi-year project of replacing many of the City’s water pipes, so we did some research. We have great news for everyone who lives or visits here: Park City’s drinking water is A-Okay.
It’s Not So Simple
For such a small town, Park City has an incredibly complex water system. It maintains eight culinary water sources: 3 deep wells, 1 spring, 2 tunnels, Rockport Reservoir and one imported source. There are 43 pressure zones, 19 tanks, 21 pump stations and 50 pressure-reducing stations, and an intricate distribution system with over 130 miles of pipeline. Continually monitoring data from 14 sites, our tap water quality is routinely tested and a Consumer Confidence Reportis published annually.
Let Science Lead
All the work we see going on around town is the result of an intensive study conducted by Park City water experts and the Utah State University’s Water Research Laboratory. The results of this 2010 – 2016 study showed that “legacy mine deposits” – i.e., stuff in the water as a result of the extensive mining operations that were active here in the early part of the 20thCentury – should be cleaned out of the distribution system pipelines. While water quality never dropped below EPA standards, City leaders wanted to be aggressive about making our water system one of the best in the country. New methods for flushing the pipes were tested and found to be 90% more effective than the old ones. A state-of-the-art water treatment plant was opened in Quinn’s Junction that improved water quality before it even hit the distribution system. All over town, old underground pipelines are being replaced with ducts made of eco-friendly materials that will last for generations to come.
Park City has been forward-thinking to make sure our supply and quality of drinking water will be safe far into the future. Innovative water conservation programs such as Water Smart are available to all Park City Water customers so they can monitor their use household by household. We at Chin-MacQuoid-Fleming-Harris invite you to join us in being proud to live in a community that takes these sort of issues seriously and continues to provide all our residents with the highest quality drinking water there is. Drink up and smile!
