DDW-2024-014474

195 North 1950 West • Salt Lake City, UT Mailing Address: P.O. Box 144830 • Salt Lake City, UT 84114-4830 Telephone [phone] • Fax [phone] • T.D.D. [phone]
www.deq.utah.gov Printed on 100% recycled paper
State of Utah

SPENCER J. COX Governor DEIDRE HENDERSON Lieutenant Governor
Department of Environmental Quality
Kimberly D. Shelley Executive Director DIVISION OF DRINKING WATER Nathan Lunstad, Ph.D., P.E. Director
December 18, 2024

Ron Johnson Boulder Mountain Guest Ranch P.O. Box 1373 Boulder, UT 84716

Dear Ron Johnson:

Subject: RTCR Level 2 Assessment Boulder Mountain Guest Ranch UTAH09110
I would like to thank you for taking the time to meet with me on June 5, 2024, for a Level 2 Assessment (L2) and a site visit to conduct an initial evaluation of your drinking water system. Your willingness to accommodate this request is greatly appreciated.
Observations and Water System Description

This L2 assessment was triggered by multiple Routine and Repeat Total Coliform positive (TC+)
samples in March 2024 and both TC+ and Escherichia coli positive (EC+) samples in the water system in May 2024. Boulder Mountain Guest Ranch is a Transient Non-Community water system located in Garfield
County, near Boulder, Utah. The system consists of a spring known as Sweetwater (WS001) that
has two collection points located about 50 feet from each other; two 500-gallon storage tanks (ST001); and a Pump Station (PF001) that provides pressure to the water system after the tanks. The distribution system supplies water to a restaurant, three cabins, six hotel type rooms/studios, and four Yurts that can in total accommodate 50-60 people per night. The facility is also used as a
destination event/wedding venue accommodating, at times, larger groups for those events.
The water system is a Public Water System (PWS) and has received a New System Order, giving a schedule and deadlines to meet, while working through the process of becoming an approved PWS. Below is a description of the observations of each facility and deficiencies that were found
that could have contributed to potential contamination in the water system since these facilities are
not yet approved and need improvements to bring them up to Public Drinking Water Standards. Sweetwater (WS001)
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The spring consists of two different collection points, upper and lower, that are located about 50 feet from each other. The upper collection area has pipes/flow points that collect spring water
from the hillside into a shallow concrete box. The box was formed around rocks where water
flows into it. The steep hillside has loose soil that could easily erode during rain/runoff. The box has a shoebox lid made of High-Density Polyethylene material, but did not have a 2-inch overhang. The box was not locked, did not have an air vent, nor a proper overflow with an air gap. Soil was evident in the bottom of the box, indicating intrusion from openings or through the
flow paths. Since that time, some of those openings through the sidewalls of the box have been
sealed with additional grout. This is the only collection area that was being used at the time of the site visit. The lower collection area also collects water into barrel shaped boxes with lids being held on with
rocks and other heavy materials. We did not look into this collection box, but the access hatch, lid,
overflow, and air vents were deficient. It was located under an overhanging ledge and also collected water from the sidewall underneath. The water from this collection area was being turned out and not used at the time of the site visit.
It is uncertain how the collection piping was constructed that extends into the sidewalls, so the
amount of soil cover and type from the collection areas is uncertain. The conveyance piping from the springs to the tank area is not buried. Two 500-Gallon Tanks (ST001)

These tanks are located near the lower collection area. Water is conveyed to the tanks from both the upper and lower collection points of Sweetwater Spring, with the lower having been turned out. The tanks do not have proper shoebox type lids with a 2-inch downturn, are not gasketed nor locked, and the tanks don’t have proper air vents.

Pump Station The pump station is located further downstream from the tanks and has a buried pipe connected to it from the tanks. This pump station consists of a small centrifugal pump, that pressurizes the
water system and supplies water to the distribution system and buildings. A water softener is
located in the pump station. While discussing the hydraulics, we learned that there is a booster pump at the restaurant that provides additional pressure for the upper floor of the building. It was explained that the upper part of the system, where cabins are located, have reduced pressures when this restaurant building booster pump comes on.
Sampling Samples have been taken from various locations throughout the water system, including at taps inside the buildings, from the tanks, and also directly from the upper concrete collection box. The
sample from the upper collection box was taken as a dip sample from a very shallow pool of
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water, with some sediment in the bottom. The sample from the tank was also taken by dipping the sample bottle into tank directly.
Conclusions
There are a number of possible reasons why there were TC + and EC+ samples in the distribution
system and from the source samples that were collected.
1. There were openings in the spring collection box that could allow sediment, surface water, and other possible intrusions into the box. While some of these openings have since been fixed, the boxes do not meet the Division’s construction requirements and could still pose
a potential risk for contamination.
2. Because of the unknown method of spring water collection into the spring boxes from piping and direct flow points from the side hill, there could be insufficient cover to protect the collection points from surface contamination. 3. Collecting samples directly from the upper collection box, with shallow water in it, could
easily stir up sediment from the bottom of the box while taking the sample.
4. Sampling from an open tank, by dipping into the tank, has the potential for sampling error.
Recommendations 1. It is recommended to find a sample location for your spring source that is flowing. Installing a temporary smooth nose sample tap on the line that runs from the spring to the tanks, until further improvements are made, would be the best method.
2. Because of the intermittent high/low use of the water system, especially when large groups are there, collect water samples after the system has experienced heavy use, such as during a large gathering rather than after water has been stagnant for a few days. 3. Bacteriological Samples: Follow sanitary sampling protocol of sufficient flushing and
disinfection, using a strong chlorine-based solution (applying, allowing contact time, flushing, sample collection). 4. Since this visit was conducted, an engineering evaluation report was prepared and submitted to the Division by your consulting engineers in September 2024. This report not
only described the existing water system but made recommendations to improve the water system and bring it up to Public Drinking Water Standards to meet aforementioned deadlines. These recommended improvements described below will allow your system to become an Approved PWS:
a. Redeveloping the Sweetwater Spring with proper collection points that have proper protective cover, fencing, and diversion ditches to protect the area from runoff. These collection points (whether through collection piping or other method) should
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be conveyed to a new spring box that has all of the proper elements (Shoebox access hatch that is lockable and gasketed, an air vent, and overflow). b. A new storage tank, constructed to meet Public Drinking Water Standards, that is
sized adequately for your water system and is located further downstream, near the
pump station building. c. A pump station that is sized properly for the required pressures and demands of the system and has a redundant pump as required.
For Engineering questions contact Michael Newberry, Permitting Section Manager, at 385-515-
1464, [e-mail] or contact me at 435-986-2590 [e-mail], with questions or if I can be of further assistance.
Sincerely,
J. Paul Wright, P.E.
Southwest District Engineer
Utah Department of Environmental Quality
cc: Jeremy Roberts, Southwest Utah Public Health Dept, [e-mail]
Mz. T Allen, Division of Drinking Water, [e-mail] J. Paul Wright, Utah DEQ District Engineer, [e-mail] Sitara Federico, Division of Drinking Water, [e-mail] Jennifer Yee, Division of Drinking Water, [e-mail] Brian Pattee, Division of Drinking Water, [e-mail] Ron Johnson, Boulder Mountain Guest Ranch, [e-mail]