Utah DEQ News

DEQ’s Division of Drinking Water Makes Sure You Can #TrustYourTap

Clean, accessible drinking water is a basic human need. Learn how Utah DEQ’s Division of Drinking Water ensures you can #TrustYourTap every day.

VW Settlement to Fund Cleaner Government Buses and Trucks

Gov. Gary R. Herbert approved the State of Utah’s plan to use $35 million in funds from a settlement with Volkswagen to purchase cleaner government-owned trucks and buses and expand electrical charging resources.

Keeping Tabs on HABs

Summertime means movie sequels. Star Wars, The Avengers and Jurassic Park return to theaters this year. Also making a comeback are harmful algal blooms.

Harmful Algal Bloom on Provo Bay: Warning Advisory Posted

The Utah County Health Department is warning the public to stay out of Provo Bay after DEQ sampling showed toxin and cyanobacteria levels that exceeded health-based thresholds.

DEQ Scientists: Keeping Utahns Safe This Summer

For the Utah Department of Environmental Quality, summer is a time for field work: Testing for water pollution, cleaning up contaminated lands, or monitoring the air for ozone levels.

Jordan River: Monitoring Ecological Change with Smartphones and Social Media

Salt Lake County Watershed Planning & Restoration is using crowd-sourced photos to help with the ongoing monitoring of its stream restoration projects on the Jordan River. The county invites people to set their phone or camera in an angle bracket, take a photo, and post it to Twitter with a site-specific hashtag.

DEQ Values in Action: Keeping Clean Drinking Water Flowing

It’s easy to take drinking water for granted. At least in Utah. For the most part, you turn on the tap and clean water flows.

“Golden Spoke” Bike Ride Celebrates Completion of Jordan River Parkway

Come participate in the Golden Spoke Bike Ride on Saturday, June 2, a 100-mile trail celebration beginning at Rainbow Gardens at the mouth of Ogden Canyon(north) and Bridal Veil Falls in Provo Canyon (south). Ride the longest continuous paved urban trail west of the Mississippi River! Hope to see you there.

Ozone: EPA Designates Marginal Nonattainment Areas in Utah

The Wasatch Front and parts of the Uinta Basin were designated as Marginal nonattainment areas for ozone this week by the EPA. A Marginal designation is the least stringent classification for a nonattainment area and doesn’t require the state to submit a formal State Implementation Plan (SIP).

New Locations in Utah Added to Fish Advisory List

Utah added three new waterbodies to its Mercury Fish Consumption Advisory list after officials found elevated levels of mercury in fish tissue at Causey Reservoir, Minersville Reservoir, and Navajo Lake.

Asbestos in Your Home: Precaution, Not Panic

Asbestos was once considered a “miracle material” for its heat-resistant properties, but we now know that airborne asbestos fibers can cause respiratory damage. Learn what to do if you find asbestos in your home, and remember, removal isn’t necessarily your best option.

Earth Day Every Day at DEQ

It’s pretty amazing that we set aside a day every year to honor the Earth and promote its protection. Did you know that over 193 countries participate in this celebration of our planet? According to the Earth Day Network, Earth Day is “the largest secular holiday in the world – celebrated by more than 1 billion people every year.”

Recycling: This Earth Day, Let’s Get Back to Basics

Wondering what you can and can’t put in your blue recycling bin? Guest blogger Sophia Nicholas from Salt Lake City Sustainability lets you know how you can reduce, reuse, and recycle right.by reducing your consumption of disposable items, reuse what you can, and then recycle, but in the right way.

Recapping the 2017-18 Inversion Season

At the end of March, spring took its turn at the Utah Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ). Along with the warmer weather, budding trees and blooming flowers, DEQ’s Division of Air Quality declared an end to the 2017-18 inversion season and stopped issuing its Action Forecasts for PM2.5 pollution. Rest assured, the Action Forecasts will return in Nov., along with colder weather.

Utah DEQ Unveils Website Redesign

By DEQ Web Team (part of the Communication Team) In 2016, the DEQ Web Team embarked on a website redesign that is an integral part of the department-wide rebranding effort. This rebranding initiative made DEQ more accessible and relevant to our constituents, bringing to the forefront our mission, vision, and values. On March 23, 2018, …

Transparency in Government: DEQ’s Commitment to You

By Christine Osborne “Government records belong to the citizens of the state, who have a legal right to open and fair access.” – Utah’s GRAMA and Open Government website March 11-17, 2018 was Sunshine Week, a nationwide celebration of the benefits of open access to public information to citizens, communities, and government. Utah held its …

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