Tag: 2018 Annual Report (SOE)

Continuous Improvement/SUCCESS Framework
2018 State of the Environment Report (WQ)

DWQ is committed to continuous improvement to increase performance and implement innovations that advance quality, efficiency, and effectiveness. The division has expanded the SUCCESS Framework process from the management to the staff level to generate more improvement ideas and opportunities. Paperless MWPP surveys The Municipal Wastewater Planning Program (MWPP) uses an annual survey to collect …

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Nonpoint Source Projects
2018 State of the Environment Report (WQ)

Nonpoint-source (NPS) pollution can come from a number of sources, including streets, parking lots, agricultural lands, and construction sites. NPS pollution can include: Excess fertilizers, herbicides, and pesticides from agricultural lands Sediment from erosion or construction activities Bacteria and nutrients from livestock, pets, and septic systems The NPS program provides funding to improve the water …

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Monitoring
2018 State of the Environment Report (WQ)

Under the Clean Water Act, DWQ is required to protect the chemical, physical, and biological integrity of state waters. The Monitoring Section monitors all surface waters, including lakes and reservoirs, streams (wadeable and non-wadeable), wetlands, and some groundwater to assess the quality of these water resources so DWQ can protect them for their beneficial uses, …

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Groundwater Protection
2018 State of the Environment Report (WQ)

The Groundwater Protection Section administers two primary programs to protect the quality of Utah’s groundwater resources: Federal Underground Injection Control (UIC) Program State Groundwater Quality Protection Program The UIC Program protects underground sources of drinking water by reviewing and approving numerous small-scale injection activities such as stormwater dry wells, groundwater remediation wells, and domestic underground …

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Storm Water Management
2018 State of the Environment Report (WQ)

Rapid growth in Utah has led to increased urbanization and the conversion of undeveloped land to impervious surfaces such as roads, parking lots, rooftops, and driveways. This change in land use has resulted in an increase in the volume of stormwater runoff. Rainwater and snowmelt water used to percolate into the soil. Now, it runs …

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Utah Lake Study
2018 State of the Environment Report (WQ)

Utah Lake is one of the largest natural freshwater lakes in the western United States. Snowpack runoff from the Wasatch Mountains and water from numerous small tributaries are the primary sources for water to the lake. Primary inflows include the American Fork River, the Provo River, Mill Race Creek, Hobble Creek, the Spanish Fork River, …

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Water Quality Funding
2018 State of the Environment Report (WQ)

Water-quality improvements can carry significant costs, which is why DWQ provides low-cost and no-cost funding for wastewater infrastructure and water-quality projects in the state. The Clean Water State Revolving Loan Fund (SRF) receives, on average, a combined $8 million each year from state and federal funding, with an additional $15 million, on average, from loan …

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Harmful Algal Blooms (HABs)
2018 State of the Environment Report (WQ)

Excess nutrient pollution in waterbodies can lead to harmful algal blooms (HABs), more accurately known as harmful cyanobacteria blooms (HCBs). These blooms occur when normally occurring cyanobacteria in the water multiply quickly to form visible colonies or blooms. HABs sometimes produce potent cyanotoxins that can pose serious health risks to people, pets, livestock, and wildlife and harm …

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Nutrient Pollution
2018 State of the Environment Report (WQ)

Excess nitrogen and phosphorus in waterbodies, known as nutrient pollution, is a growing problem in Utah and across the country. Nutrients are linked to cyanobacterial growth, including harmful algal blooms, and can lower dissolved-oxygen levels in waterbodies, adversely affecting aquatic life. This pollution comes from a variety of sources, including wastewater treatment plants, nonpoint source …

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Division of Water Quality
2018 State of the Environment Report

The Division of Water Quality (DWQ) protects surface and groundwater through programs designed to protect, maintain, and enhance the quality of Utah’s waters. DWQ issues permits for discharges into waters of the state, works with stakeholders to reduce nonpoint pollution from agricultural operations and stormwater runoff, and uses scientific data to develop strategies to protect …

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Division of Drinking Water
2018 State of the Environment Report

The Division of Drinking Water (DDW) is responsible for implementing programs that ensure safe and reliable drinking water throughout the state. Programs include: Source protection for drinking water supplies Financial assistance for construction or upgrades to water systems Engineering plan review Implementation of EPA water-quality and monitoring requirements Community assistance with contamination issues Site inspections …

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Contaminants
2018 State of the Environment Report (DW)

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) identifies contaminants in drinking water and sets regulatory limits for certain contaminants as required by the Safe Drinking Water Act (SDWA). EPA has delegated primary enforcement responsibility (primacy) for Utah public water systems to the Division of Drinking Water. DDW works with public water systems to ensure they meet the federal drinking-water standards under the …

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Financial Assistance
2018 State of the Environment Report (DW)

DDW administers two financial assistance programs: the state revolving fund (SRF) and the federal state revolving fund (DWSRF). The state revolving fund program provides funding to political subdivisions such as cities, towns, and districts. Federal SRF funds are available for privately and publicly owned community water systems and nonprofit, non-community water systems. State SRF assistance helps water systems plan, …

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Permitting Section
2018 State of the Environment Report (DW)

Water systems that serve 25 or more people for more than 60-days annually or have 15 or more residential connections year-round are subject to Utah Public Drinking Water Rules and must obtain a permit known as an approval. DDW regulates over 1,000 public water systems in the state, and the Permitting Section ensures these water systems comply with …

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Technical Assistance
2018 State of the Environment Report (DW)

DDW works with water-system operators and public-health officials when contaminants threaten drinking-water systems or sources. This spring and summer, DDW provided technical, engineering, and public-health advice when floods, fires, and E. coli contamination jeopardized drinking water supplies. Drinking water contamination can occur when: Harmful bacteria enter the water Accidents, power outages, or heavy water use …

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