DDW-2024-009607

Ashley Valley Water Treatment Plant
Consumer Confidence Report
2023
www.cuwcd.com | 1
About Our Water Treatment Plant
The AVWTP is located on Doc’s Bench Hill just north of Vernal and has the capacity to treat 20
million gallons of water per day. The plant produces its drinking water from a blend of Ashley
Springs and Red Fleet Reservoir water. Waters from both sources are each unique and present
their own challenges to treatment, however, the treatment processes and staff at the AVWTP are
more than capable of producing high quality drinking water.
The treatment process
begins with the addition
of coagulants that
capture impurities and
neutralize their charge.
After coagulation, the
impurity-bound
particles continue to
combine, which form
large particles—or
floc— that are visible to
the naked eye. Floc
particles are then
removed during the
sedimentation process.
After sedimentation, the
water is filtered through
anthracite and sand
filters before it is sent to customer agencies for distribution. We chlorinate our water to inactivate
viruses and bacteria that are present in raw water.
Our Customers
Uintah Water Conservancy District | Vernal City | Ashley Valley
Water & Sewer Improvement District | Jensen Water
Improvement District | Maeser Water Improvement District
2 CUWCD | CCR 2023

Your Water from Source to Tap
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Partnership for Safe Water

AVWTP is regulated by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the Utah Division of
Drinking Water. Together, these agencies have established limits on the contaminants that may
be present in drinking water. Here at the AVWTP, we take these rules and regulations very
seriously. We routinely monitor for regulated as well as unregulated contaminants beyond
requirement to ensure that we are delivering the safest drinking water possible. Additionally,
we diligently monitor water quality in the watershed and are continually conducting our own
research and development to ensure that our processes are optimized.
Because of our passion for water quality, we have joined together with other like-minded water
utilities, both locally and nationally, to hold ourselves to a higher standard. Together, we set
goals that are stricter than regulations and collaborate to achieve these goals.
On February 12, 1997, the AVWTP joined The Partnership for Safe Water, an alliance
comprised of more than six drinking water organizations such as the AWWA and the USEPA
and over 200 utilities. The goal of the Partnership for Safe Water is to implement voluntary
programs of excellence and preserve public health by setting standards where regulation may
not exist.
Additionally, the AVWTP is one of the founding members of the Utah Eastern Water Quality
Alliance. Formed in 1998, this alliance is comprised of several utilities based in the Eastern
region of Utah as well as members from the Utah Division of Drinking Water and State
Department of Health. The goal of the alliance is to work with other like-minded utilities to
hold ourselves to a higher standard than regulation—on a local level.
The Eastern Alliance meets quarterly to discuss process improvement projects, water quality
issues, regulations, peer-mentoring, and other topics. We are proud to collaborate with this
group in a setting that is unprecedented in any other state.

4 CUWCD | CCR 2023

Watershed Protection

Watersheds are defined as geographical
divisions which collect a unifying flow of both
surface and groundwater into one basin, river,
reservoir etc. The tributaries in the Ashley
Valley provide water to the Colorado River
Basin. Human activities within the watershed
such as recreating, and mining can have an
impact on water quality in the watershed.

We are actively partnering with other agencies
and municipalities in the Ashley Valley to
identify potential sources of contamination to Ashley Springs and Red Fleet Reservoir in order
to better manage them. We have developed specific source water protection plans for both
Ashley Springs and Red Fleet. They can be found on the following website:

For any questions about the plan, please contact our Watershed Programs Manager:
Joe Crawford
(801)-226-7113
[e-mail]

By Protecting our watershed, we
are protecting our drinking water.

https://cuwcd.com/resources.html
www.cuwcd.com | 5
Message from the EPA

In order to ensure that tap water is safe to drink, EPA prescribes regulations which limit the
amount of certain contaminants in water provided by public water systems. Food and Drug
Administration (FDA) regulations establish limits for contaminants in bottled water which must
provide the same protection for public health.

Drinking water, including bottled water, may reasonably be expected to contain at least small
amounts of some contaminants. The presence of contaminants does not necessarily indicate
that water poses a health risk.

The sources of drinking water (both tap water and bottled water) include rivers, lakes, streams,
ponds, reservoirs, springs, and wells. As water travels over the surface of the land or through
the ground, it dissolves naturally occurring minerals and, in some cases, radioactive material,
and may pick up substances resulting from the presence of animals or from human activity.
Contaminants that may be present in source water include:

· Microbial contaminants, such as viruses and bacteria, which may come from sewage
treatment plants, septic systems, agricultural livestock operations, and wildlife;
· Inorganic contaminants, such as salts and metals, which can be naturally-occurring or result
from urban stormwater runoff, industrial or domestic wastewater discharges, oil and gas
production, mining, or farming;
· Pesticides and herbicides, which may come from a variety of sources such as agriculture,
urban stormwater runoff, and residential uses
· Organic chemical contaminants, including synthetic and volatile organic chemicals, which
are by-products of industrial processes and petroleum production, and can also come from
gas stations, urban stormwater runoff, and septic systems; and
· Radioactive contaminants, which can be naturally occurring or be the result of oil and gas
production and mining activities.

Some people may be more vulnerable to contaminants in drinking water than the general population. Immunocompromised persons such as
persons with cancer undergoing chemotherapy, persons who have undergone organ transplants, people with HIV/AIDS or other immune
system disorders, some elderly, and infants can be particularly at risk from infections. These people should seek advice about drinking water
from their health care providers. EPA and Center for Disease Control (CDC) guidelines on appropriate means to lessen the risk of infection by
Cryptosporidium and other microbial contaminants are available from the Safe Drinking Water Hotline [phone]).

www.water.epa.gov

Safe Drinking Water Hotline
(800)-426-4791

6 CUWCD | CCR 2023

AVWTP Finished Water
UNITS
2023
AVERAGE
2023
RANGE
MONITORING
CRITERIA LIKELY SOURCE(S) / COMENTS
Unless noted otherwise, the data
presented in this table are from testing
conducted in 2023. MCL MCLG
MICROBIOLOGICAL
Total Coliform %
positive
per month
0 0 5% 0 Coliforms are naturally present in the
environment; as well as feces; fecal
coliforms and E. coli only come from
human and animal fecal waste.
Escherichia coli (E.
Coli)
%
positive
per month
0 0 TT TT Fecal coliforms and E. coli only come
from human and animal fecal waste.
Turbidity (surface
water)
NTU 0.04 0.02-0.2 95% <0.3 NA Naturally occurring and soil runoff
PESTICIDES/PCBs/SOCs
All Parameters µg/L ND ND Varies Varies Various sources
2016 data
DISINFECTANTS/DISINFECTION BY-PRODUCTS
Chlorine mg/L 1.21 0.43-1.92 4 NE Drinking water disinfectant.
Total TTHMs µg/L 21.5 4.9-49.6 80 NE By-product of drinking water
disinfection.
HAA5s µg/L 16.8 1.2-45.0 60 NE By-product of drinking water
disinfection.
ORGANIC MATERIAL
Total Organic Carbon mg/L 1.64 0.50-4.21 TT NE Naturally occurring.
VOC
Bromodichlormethane µg/L 2.1 0.9-4.0 NE 0 By-product of drinking water
disinfection.
Chloroform µg/L 19.2 4.0-45.6 NE 70 By-product of drinking water
disinfection.
Dibromochloromethane µg/L 0.2 ND-0.8 NE 60 By-product of drinking water
disinfection.
RADIOLOGICAL
Alpha, gross pCi/L 0.2 0.2 15 0 Erosion of natural deposits of certain
minerals that are radioactive and may
emit a form of radiation known as
alpha radiation. 2019 data.
Radium 228 pCi/L ND ND 5 0 Erosion of natural deposits. 2019
data.
Beta, gross pCi/L ND ND 4
millirems
per year
0 Decay of natural and man-made
deposits of certain minerals that are
radioactive and may emit forms of
radiation known as photons and beta
radiation. 2019 data.
www.cuwcd.com | 7
UNITS
2023
AVERAGE
2023
RANGE
MONITORING
CRITERIA
LIKELY SOURCE(S) /
COMENTS
Unless noted otherwise, the data
presented in this table are from
testing conducted in 2023. MCL MCLG
PRIMARY INORGANICS
Barium µg/L 85 85 2000 2000 Discharge of drilling wastes;
discharge from metal refineries;
erosion of natural deposits. 2019
data.
Selenium µg/L 0.5 0.5 50 50 Discharge from petroleum
refineries; erosion of natural
deposits; discharge from mines.
2019 data.
Nitrate µg/L 0.13 0.13 10 10 Runoff from fertilizer use; leaking
from septic tanks, sewage; erosion
of natural deposits.
SECONDARY INORGANICS
pH 7.97 7.04-8.55 SS = 6.5-
8.5
NE Naturally occurring.
Sulfate mg/L 4 4 SS = 250 NE Naturally occurring. 2019 data.
Total Dissolved Solids mg/L 143 99-372 SS = 500 NE Naturally occurring.
UNREGULATED PARAMETERS
Alkalinity mg/L 83 51-150 UR NE Naturally occurring.
Conductivity µmhos/cm 219 154-553 UR NE Naturally occurring.
Total Hardness mg/L 87 46-291 UR NE Naturally occurring.
grains/
gallon
5.1 2.7-17

UR NE Naturally occurring.

8 CUWCD | CCR 2023

Water Quality Data Acronyms

· MPN/mL: Most probable number per
milliliter
· NA: Not applicable.
· ND: None detected.
· NE: None established.
· ng/L: Nanograms per liter, or parts per
trillion (like 1 minute in 2 million
years).
· NTU (Nephelometric Turbidity Units):
A measure of water clarity.
· pCI/L: Picocuries per liter.
· Range: Values shown are a range of
measured values. Single values indicate
a single measured value.
· TT (Treatment Technique): A required
treatment process intended to reduce the
level of a contaminant in drinking water.
· TTHMs: Total trihalomethanes.
· TDS: Total dissolved solids.
· TOC: Total organic carbon.
· TON: Threshold odor number.
· TSS: Total suspended solids.
· µmhos/cm: Microhms per centimeter.
· µg/L: Micrograms per liter, or parts per
billion (like 1 minute in 2,000 years).
· UR: Unregulated at this time.
· UV-254: Ultraviolet light measured at a
wavelength of 254 nm.
· 1/cm: Reciprocal centimeters
· AL (Action Level): The concentration of a
contaminant which, if exceeded, triggers
treatment or other requirements a water
system must follow.
· CFU/100 mL: Colony-forming units per
100 milliliters.
· CU: Color unit
· EPA: Environmental Protection Agency
· FDA: Food and Drug Administration
· HAA5s: Haloacetic acids.
· MCL (Maximum Contaminant Level):
The highest level of a contaminant that is
allowed in drinking water. MCLs are set
as close to the MCLGs as feasible using
the best available treatment technology.
· MCLG (Maximum Contaminant Level
Goal): The level of a contaminant in
drinking water below which there is no
known or expected risk to
health. MCLGs allow for a margin of
safety.
· MRDL (Maximum Residual Disinfectant
Level): The maximum residual allowable
for chlorine added to drinking water for
disinfection purposes.
· mg/L: milligrams per liter, or parts per
million (like 1 minute in 2 years)
www.cuwcd.com | 9
For More Information

Other Resources

Brad Grammer
Plant Manager
435-789-0421
[e-mail] Erik D. Cram, Ph.D. Lab Manager 801-221-0192 [e-mail]

Division of Drinking Water
195 North 1950 West
Salt Lake City, Utah 84114
801-536-4200
www.drinkingwater.utah.gov
Safe Drinking Water Hotline
1-800-426-4791
www.water.epa.gov