DDW-2025-004040

Jennifer Yee <[e-mail]>
Re: Red Creek Ranches water system UTAH07063
1 message
Joseph Hadlock <[e-mail]>Tue, Apr 29, 2025 at 8:10 AM
To: Nathan Hall <[e-mail]>
Cc: Bret Randall <[e-mail]>, Helen Lau <[e-mail]>, "Jennifer Yee ([e-mail])" <[e-mail]>
When I was out there trying to figure out who is connected to the water system, several of the property owners were open to discuss the problems they were having. Gordon and Steve Baker, parcels00-0027-0789 and 00-0027-0797, and Leonard Backus parcel number 00-0027-0854. Maynard Fullmer on parcel 00-0027-0888 was the most knowledgeable about who was connected because hehelped put in the lines to many of the houses.
On Mon, Apr 28, 2025 at 4:12 PM Nathan Hall <[e-mail]> wrote:Yes - Russ Young is the owner of the physical infrastructure, to my knowledge there is no HOA.
Joe - do you know any of the home owners who pay Russ a water bill that would provide any documentation? Bret, would that help?
I have inspected the water system officially twice with Russ, and he openly acknowledges he owns and operates the water system when talking in person. The first time I went there was about 8 or10 years ago when we initially determined that they were non-public, I toured the system with Russ and counted how many connections he had, then compared that to his accountant's billing printout. The other time was about 4 or 5 years ago when TriCounty LHD did a non-public system sanitary survey, I went along and we inspected the spring, pump station and tank.
Here are some screen shots from the County Assessor page showing ownership but it's not much help. Ownership gets complicated because Russ doesn't own the land that the infrastructure is on,and also Fruitland Water SSD has an overlapping service area - sometimes with parallel water lines in the roads.
This is where Russ lives. Lat/long 40°12'6.45"N, 110°47'28.88"W
Based on memory and looking at map features, the spring is located at lat/long 40°11'24.51"N, 110°48'44.82"W . Looks like Russ does not own that property, maybe he has an easement...? or maybenot..? The system was constructed several decades ago - probably with a lot of handshake agreements. The first screenshot shows the parcel that Duchesne County's mapping system shows thespring and pumphouse on, but there is a known shift on their map so the spring and pumphouse may actually be on the neighboring property to the east, circled in red on the second screenshot.
Again, based on memory at looking at map features on google earth, the tank is located at lat/long 40°11'14.58"N, 110°47'1.30"W. And again, Russ is not the property owner and it is hard to tell forsure which parcel the tank is located on because of the line shift in Duchesne's mapping system. I've circled the tank on the second screenshot.
Not sure if that helps? My opinion - bottom line is there are people out there paying Russ a monthly water bill, TriCounty has documented 15 connections as part of their mandate of monitoring andtracking threshold non-public systems, so we need to send him an Initial Order and let him fight it through the appeals process if he disagrees. I don't understand how not having an HOA or beingregistered with the public utilities commission makes it so we can't send an IO. If anything, that is more regulations he is not following and we should cc the PUC and get him on their radar as part ofthis process.
Ok I'll get off my soapbox. I appreciate that this is being worked on. Please let me know if there is anything else I can do.
Thanks,
Nathan D Hall, P.E. | DEQ District Engineer | Uintah Basin (TriCounty) District435.247.1167 (office) | 435.630.3852 (cell) | 133 South 500 East, Vernal, UT 84078
On Mon, Apr 28, 2025 at 2:37 PM Bret Randall <[e-mail]> wrote:
Nathan, could you assist via the County Assessor to identify the current owner of the water system? Is there an HOA? Does the LHD have any information about theresponsible party? Ultimate it’s the owner of the physical infrastructure.

Bret F. Randall | Assistant Attorney General
Environment Section
Environment/Health & Human Services Division
Utah Attorney General's Office
Office Cell P. 385.414.0891 | [e-mail]
195 N 1950 W Salt Lake City, Utah 84114 | attorneygeneral.utah.gov
IMPORTANT: This message is for the sole use of the intended recipient(s) and may containconfidential and privileged information. Any unauthorized review, use, disclosure, or distribution isprohibited. If you are not the intended recipient, please contact the sender and destroy all copies of theoriginal message. Thank you.

From: Jennifer Yee <[e-mail]>
Sent: Monday, April 28, 2025 2:19 PM
To: Bret Randall <[e-mail]>
Cc: Helen Lau <[e-mail]>
Subject: Fwd: Red Creek Ranches water system UTAH07063

Bret,

We are struggling to find a current registered business (legal contact) for Red Creek Ranches. All the ones registered at the Division of Corporations have long expired. Any help you can providewould be greatly appreciated.

Below are emails from Nathan Hall and LHD who have requested we activate the system and send an NSO and a screen shot from Waterlink. That's all the info I've got, sorry.

Thanks,
Jen

Jennifer Yee
Environmental Scientist | Division of Drinking
Water
M: [phone]
drinkingwater.utah.gov
[phone]
Emails to and from this email address may be considered public records and thus subject to Utah GRAMA
requirements.
...
---------- Forwarded message ---------
From: Nathan Hall <[e-mail]>Date: Tue, Dec 17, 2024 at 3:30 PMSubject: Fwd: Red Creek Ranches water system UTAH07063To: Colt Smith <[e-mail]>

Hi Colt,

Red Creek is back.

Based on the LHD's recommendation, Nathan L and I decided we should go ahead and make them public based on 15 connections.

This is System #07063.

So I think they need a New System Order sent to them?

Russ Young
HC 63270011, Fruitland, UT, 84027
435-724-4270

Please let me know if you have any questions or concerns.

Thanks,

Nathan D Hall, P.E. | DEQ District Engineer | Uintah Basin (TriCounty) District
435.247.1167 (office) | 435.630.3852 (cell) | 133 South 500 East, Vernal, UT 84078

---------- Forwarded message ---------
From: Joseph Hadlock <[e-mail]>
Date: Tue, Dec 17, 2024 at 11:10 AM
Subject: Red Creek Ranches water system UTAH07063
To: Nathan Hall <[e-mail]>

Hi Nathan,

Historically this water system has been listed as a non-public water system because of the small population that it serves. The state rule reads: "Public
Water System" (PWS) means a system, either publicly or privately owned, providing water through constructed conveyances for human consumption and other domestic uses, which has at least 15
service connections or serves an average of at least 25 individuals daily at least 60 days out of the year .
In the past it was determined that the system served less than 25 people and the threshold for becoming a public water system was 8 connections. After researching all of our historical records and
talking to the people who live there, I have determined that they have 15 (possibly more) connections and serve more than 25 people. This new information requires that they be listed as a public
water system and fall under the Division of Drinking Water regulations for a public drinking water system. I have attached a sheet listing the names of the people that were confirmed to be
connected to the water system.
Please let me know if you need any additional information from me.

Thank you,
Joe Hadlock

Environmental Health Director

TriCounty Local Health Department

--Joe HadlockEnvironmental Health Director L.E.H.S. TriCounty Health DepartmentOffice/ 435-247-1162Mobile/ 435-828-8277