City of North Salt Lake
Annual Water Quality Report
2014
North Salt Lake City is very pleased to provide our residents with the 2013 Annual
Water Quality Report. North Salt Lake City works diligently to keep you informed about
the excellent water and services we have delivered to you over the past year. Our goal
is to provide you a safe and dependable supply of drinking water.
In our city, we have several water sources. These consist of four deep wells and one
spring, as well as wholesale water which is purchased from the Weber Basin Water
Conservancy District. The wells are located in valley alluvial fill, and the spring is in
bedrock southeast above the city. The three wells which are located along 1100 West
between 1100 North in North Salt Lake and 1500 South in Woods Cross have potential
contamination from petroleum refineries, gas stations, and other less hazardous
commercial establishments. All the wells, including the well south of the City, also have
domestic use of hazardous substances, application of road salt, and transportation of
hazardous materials along roads and highways within the protection zones.
The wells are at a low susceptibility to being contaminated from surface spills or
releases, despite the number of potential contamination sources. All the wells have
protective grout seals and most are located in a protected aquifer, in which naturally
occurring geologic formations help prevent surface spills from contaminating the well.
Most potential contamination sources are adequately controlled through physical,
regulatory, negligible quantities and Best Management Practices. The highest ranking
potential contamination sources are strictly controlled through Federal and State
agencies. The Tunnel Springs have little or no risk of contamination due to their
location in a pristine, isolated environment with no potential contamination sources
within the protection zone.
The greatest risk to the drinking water system is considered to be the use of chemicals,
pesticides, and fertilizers by businesses and homeowners. The small quantities used by
individuals combine to create significant hazards as non-point source pollution.
Residents should be aware that most of the City is located within protection zones and
judicial handling of hazardous materials is necessary to prevent contamination to the
City Water System, including the application and handling of fertilizers and pesticides.
Land use zoning and a Drinking Water Source Protection Ordinance to restrict uses of
hazardous materials are in place and will continue to be enforced.
North Salt Lake City has a Drinking Water Source Protection Plan that is available for
review at City Hall upon request. It provides more information, such as potential
sources of contamination and maps of the drinking water source protection areas.
Our Water Department is pleased to report that our drinking water meets all
Federal and State requirements.
If you have any questions or concerns about this report or your water utility, please
contact Jonathan Rueckert at (801)-335-8727, or at 10 East Center Street, North Salt
Lake City, Utah 84054. We want our valued customers and residents to be informed
about their water utility.
If you want to learn more, please attend any of our regularly scheduled meetings. They
are held on the first and third Tuesdays of the month, 7:00 p.m., at the North Salt Lake
City Hall, 10 East Center Street, North Salt Lake City, Utah.
North Salt Lake City routinely monitors for constituents in our drinking water in
accordance with the Federal and Utah State laws. The following table shows the results
of our monitoring for the period of January 1st , 2014 to December 31st, 2014.
In our continuing efforts to maintain a safe and dependable water supply, it may be
necessary to make improvements and/or changes in your water system. The costs of
these improvements may be reflected in the rate structure. Rate adjustments may be
necessary in order to address these improvements.
In addition, it is the responsibility of the home owner to have each BACKFLOW
ASSEMBLY and/or device on their landscaping system tested and/or repaired every
year to meet all Federal, State and Local ordinances and laws. When a backflow
device fails, it can seriously affect the quality and safety of our drinking water supply.
What is Back flow? Back flow is the reverse flow of contaminated water or other
substances from a user's water system back into the public drinking water system.
Backflow can occur if your plumbing system is physically connected (a cross
connection) to any source of contamination or pollution. Common examples of possible
cross connections include landscape sprinkling systems, hose attachments for utility
sinks, and garden hoses. Backflow prevention assemblies provide the public water
supply system with protection against contamination or pollution. All results should be
sent to the North Salt Lake City Water Department at 10 East Center Street, North Salt
Lake, Utah 84054 by August 15, 2015. If you have any questions or concerns please
call 801-335-8727 or view our backflow pamphlet on our website at www.nslcity.org.
Some people may be more vulnerable to contaminants in drinking water than the
general population. Immunol-compromised persons such as persons with cancer
undergoing chemotherapy, persons who have undergone organ transplants, people with
HIV/AIDS or other immune system disorders, some elderly, and infants can be
particularly at risk from infections. These people should seek advice about drinking
water from their health care providers. In addition, Nitrate in drinking water at levels
above 10 ppm is a health risk for infants of less than six months of age. High nitrate
levels in drinking water can cause blue baby syndrome. Nitrate levels may rise quickly
for short periods of time because of rainfall or agricultural activity. The City’s current,
average Nitrate level is 4.26, well below the 10 ppm. If you are caring for an infant, you
should ask advice from your health care provider. EPA/CDC guidelines on appropriate
means to lessen the risk of infection by cryptosporidium and other microbiological
contaminants are available from the Safe Drinking Water Hotline at 1-800-426-4791.
Please call our office at 801-335-8727 if you have any questions. You may also visit
www.drinkingwater.utah.gov.
North Salt Lake City works around the clock to provide top quality water to every tap.
We ask that all our customers help us protect our water sources, which are the heart of
our community, our way of life and our children’s future.
TEST RESULTS
TEST RESULTS
Contaminant
Violation
Y/N
Level
Detected
ND/LowHigh
Unit
Measureme
nt
MCLG
MCL
Date
Sampled
Likely Source of Contamination
MICROBIOLOGICAL CONTAMINANTS
Total Coliform
N
ND
Count
0
0
Monthly
Naturally present in environment
Fecal Coliform and E.
Coli
N
ND
Count
0
0
Monthly
Human and animal fecal waste
Turbidity for Ground
Water
N
0-1
NTU
NA
5
Monthly
Soil Runoff
RADIOLOGICAL CONTAMINANTS
Alpha Emitters
N
-2.1-5
pCi/1
0
15
2013
Erosion of natural deposits
Combined Radium
N
.85-1.7
pCi/1
0
5
2013
Erosion of natural deposits
226/228
INORGANIC CONTAMINANTS
Antimony
N
ND
Arsenic
N
0.8-2.4
Asbestos
N
ND
Barium
N
.042-.159
Beryllium
N
Cadmium
μg/L
6
6
2010
Erosion of natural deposits; runoff from
orchards; runoff from glass and electronics
production wastes
ppt
0
10
2013
Erosion of natural deposits; runoff from
orchards; runoff from glass and electronics
production wastes
MFL
7
7
2005
Decay of asbestos cement water mains;
erosion of natural deposits.
μg/L
2000
2000
2010
Discharge of drilling wastes; discharge from
metal refineries; erosion of natural deposits
ND
μg/L
4
4
2010
Discharge from metal refineries and coalburning factories; discharge from electrical,
aerospace, and defense industries.
N
ND
μg/L
5
5
2010
Corrosion of galvanized pipes, erosion of
natural deposits; discharge from metal
refineries; runoff from batteries and paints.
Chromium
N
2-6
μg/L
100
100
2010
Discharge from steel and pulp mills; erosion
of natural deposits.
Copper
a. 90% result
b. # of sites that
exceed AL
N
208-237
1300
AL=1300
2012
Corrosion of household plumbing systems,
erosion of natural deposits; leaching from
wood preservatives
ng/L
Cyanide
N
0-21
μg/L
200
200
2013
Discharge from steel/metal factories;
discharge from plastic and fertilizer factories.
Fluoride
N
0-0.2
μg/L
4000
4000
2013
Water additive which promotes strong teeth;
erosion of natural deposits; discharge from
fertilizer and aluminum factories
Lead
a. 90% result
b. # of sites that
exceed AL
N
5-8
ng/L
0
AL=15
2012
Corrosion of household plumbing systems;
erosion of natural deposits
Nickel
N
7-12
μg/L
100
100
2010
Nitrate
(as Nitrogen)
N
2.1-5.6
mg/L
10
10
2014
Selenium
N
2-.2.3
μg/L
50
50
2013
Discharge from petroleum and metal
refineries; erosion of natural deposits;
discharge from mines.
Sodium
N
109-132
ppb
20
No MCL set by
the EPA
2013
Erosion of natural deposits; discharge from
refineries and factories; runoff from landfills.
Solids, Total dissolved
(TDS)
N
ND
2000
2013
Erosion of natural deposits
Sulfate
N
88-102
ppb
1000
2013
Erosion of natural deposits; discharge from
refineries and factories; runoff from landfills.
Thallium
N
ND
μg/L
2
2010
Leaching from ore-processing sites;
discharge from electronics; glass and drug
factories.
1
Runoff from fertilizer use; leaching from
septic tanks, sewage; erosion of natural
deposits
DISINFECTION BI-PRODUCTS
Total Haloacetic Acids
(HAA5)
N
2-15.3
ppb
0
60
2014
By-product of drinking water chlorination
Total Trihalomethanes
(TTHM)
N
11.1-32.2
ppb
0
80
2014
By-product of drinking water chlorination
In the above table you will find many terms and abbreviations you might not be
familiar with. To help you better understand these terms we've provided the
following definitions:
Action Level (AL) - the concentration of a contaminant which, if exceeded, triggers
treatment or other requirements which a water system must follow.
Treatment Technique (TT) - (mandatory language) A treatment technique is a required
process intended to reduce the level of a contaminant in drinking water.
Maximum Contaminant Level (MCL) - (mandatory language) The “Maximum Allowed”
(MCL) is the highest level of a contaminant that is allowed in drinking water. MCLs are
set as close to the MCLGs as feasible using the best available treatment technology.
Maximum Contaminant Level Goal (MCLG) - (mandatory language) The
“Goal”(MCLG) is the level of a contaminant in drinking water below which there is no
known or expected risk to health. MCLGs allow for a margin of safety.
Non-Detects (ND) - Lab analysis show the constituent isn't present.
ND/Low - High - Our water system has multiple sources. In order to accurately report
testing results, we show the lowest and highest value detected for all sources in this
table (including the water from WeberBasin.)
Parts per million (ppm) or Milligrams per liter (mg/l) - One part per million
corresponds to one minute in two years or a single penny in$10,000.
Parts per billion (ppb) or Micrograms per liter (ug/l) - One part per billion
corresponds to one minute in 2,000 years, or a single penny in $10,000,000.
Parts per trillion (ppt) or Nanograms per liter (nanograms/l) - One part per trillion
corresponds to one minute in 2,000,000 years, or a single penny in $10,000,000,000.
Picocuries per liter (pCi/L) - Picocuries per liter is a measure of the radioactivity in
water.
Nephelometric Turbidity Unit (NTU) - Nephelometric turbidity unit is a measure of the
clarity of water. Turbidity in excess of 5 NTU is just noticeable to the average person.
Note:
All sources of drinking water are subject to potential contamination by constituents that are naturally
occurring or are manmade. Those constituents can be microbes, organic or inorganic chemicals, or
radioactive materials. All drinking water, including bottled water, may reasonably be expected to contain at
least small amounts of some contaminants. The presence of contaminants does not necessarily indicate
that the water poses a health risk. More information about contaminants and potential health effects can
be obtained by calling the Environmental Protection Agency’s Safe Drinking Water Hotline at 1-800-4264791.
NORTH SALT LAKE CITY
10 East Center Street
North Salt Lake, Utah 84054
Phone-801-335-8700
Fax- 801-335-8719
www.nslcity.org