Proposed amendments to R317-2 Standards of Quality for Waters of the State.

The Utah Water Quality Board is proposing amendments to Utah’s water quality standards. The proposed amendments use the best available science and improve the protection of Utah’s waters:

• Update Utah’s Colorado River Salinity Standards to reference a 2023 review
• Add numeric criteria for methylmercury to Utah’s human health criteria
• Add numeric criteria for cyanotoxins for the protection of recreational uses

amendments are published in the April 15, 2025 Utah State Bulletin. Additional information including supporting documents and public comment and hearing information are available on DWQ’s Proposed Rule Changes page. Public comments will be accepted until June 3, 2025 and may be submitted to Jake Vander Laan at jvander@utah.gov.

Emerging Contaminants Funding Program Application Open

The Water Quality Board has obtained funding for select projects to address Emerging Contaminants. Projects must address an identified Emerging Contaminant. This money may not be used for any operation and maintenance expenses. Please visit the Emerging Contaminants Funding Program page for more information. Applications are being accepted through May 2, 2025. If you have questions please email: wqECfunding@utah.gov.

Analysis of Septic Tank Density of Rockville, Washington County, Utah

The Utah Water Quality Board (Board) awards grants to counties and municipalities to assist these entities in conducting studies to assess groundwater quality within aquifers in their areas. The Board awarded a hardship planning grant to the Town of Rockville to assess the impacts of growth and the use of onsite wastewater systems on groundwater quality. The Town of Rockville and the Utah Geological Survey have completed the study.  

• Final Groundwater Study Report

Heber Valley Special Services District Concerns DWQ Response Letter

This letter responds to concerns raised to the Utah Division of Water Quality about the Heber Valley Special Services District (HVSSD) Wastewater Treatment and Disposal Facility (Facility). DWQ received phone calls and emails from concerned citizens about potential problems with the HVSSD Facility, its operations, performance, and potential adverse impacts on water quality. DWQ hopes that this letter addresses the raised concerns. If anyone has any additional concerns that were not addressed, feel free to email wqcomments@utah.gov or call DWQ’s front desk at (801) 536-4300. 

• Heber Valley Special Services District Concerns

• Visit the DWQ’s Potential Impacts from Flooding webpage for more information.

The EPA Published Draft Guidance Associated with NPDES Permitting of Certain Discharges through Groundwater to Surface Waters  

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) recently published in the Federal Register Draft Guidance: Applying the Supreme Court’s “County of Maui v. Hawaii Wildlife Fund” Decision in the Clean Water Act Section 402 National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System Permit Program to Discharges through Groundwater.  As the Draft Guidance is currently in draft form, the Division of Water Quality does not yet know how or whether it will impact Permittees. However, if finalized and implemented, the Draft Guidance may have substantial impacts on some Permittees in Utah.  Please visit the EPA webpage to view the Draft Guidance.