DEQ issues second boil order this month on south Duchesne County water

File photo of tap water. Source: Wikimedia Commons/USEPA Environmental Protection Agency

DUCHESNE COUNTY, Utah, Nov. 22, 2019 (Gephardt Daily) — A boil order has been ordered for all homes served by the South Duchesne Culinary Water company.

Multiple tests detected coliform bacteria in its drinking water supply, according to information released by the Utah Department of Environmental Quality.

The order requires SDCW to notify its customers to boil their water before using it for drinking, preparing food or brushing teeth.

Residents have been on a boil advisory since Nov. 8 after a report of an illness. It’s now a boil order.

“Several water samples taken last week confirmed the presence of total coliform bacteria,” the DEQ statement says. The samples tested negative for E. coli.

But Division of Drinking Water staffers conducted an onsite investigation and took additional water samples, which led to the boil order.

“We are taking this action to proactively protect the health of the community,” said Marie Owens, drinking water director. “DDW has identified several potential risks to the drinking water. We will continue to work with the water system to resolve the issues as quickly as possible.”

Recent contamination to the SDCW system could be linked to several water line breaks or other failures.

South Duchesne Culinary Water company is unapproved by state regulators and under a compliance agreement and enforcement order with DDW.

For information on what to do during a boil order, click here.

LEAVE A REPLY

Please enter your comment!
Please enter your name here