Contamination threatens Utah water supply

The water supply for the Bountiful and Woods Cross areas of Utah are at risk for groundwater contamination due to nearby Superfund sites, officials worry.

The contamination risk to the sources of the two Utah cities' water supply is of such great concern that both state and federal regulators are working on a fix, the Deseret Morning News reported Sunday.

The water suppliers for both Bountiful and Woods Cross were still providing safe water during recent safety tests, Utah Division of Drinking Water director Ken Bousfield said last week.

Superfund sites are locations designated as potentially contaminated by hazardous wastes under the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation and Liability Act. At least 14 Superfund sites across Utah have been flagged by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency as some of the nation's worst.

EPA official Mario Robles, who supervises one of the Superfund sites, told the Morning News the cleanup of the contaminated sites could take nearly 15 years.

"Really, nobody knows -- it could be more, it could be less," he told the newspaper.

Copyright 2008 by United Press International

Citation: Contamination threatens Utah water supply (2008, March 31) retrieved 28 March 2024 from https://phys.org/news/2008-03-contamination-threatens-utah.html
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