DEQ.utah.gov - News Release: Public Health Advisory: Drought Causing Low Flows, Less Dilution in Streams and Rivers

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
July 19, 2002

Contact:
William Moellmer, Division of Water Quality, (801) 538-6329

Public Health Advisory: Drought Causing Low Flows, Less Dilution in Streams and Rivers

The Division of Water Quality is advising the public to refrain from recreational activities, such as swimming and tubing, in or on the water where treated sewage discharges are located. Due to the drought, many of our streams and rivers are experiencing low to zero flow. As a result, streams that receive municipal treated sewage effluent have considerably less dilution than is normal and, in some cases, the flows may be nearly 100 percent effluent.

The following are locations where river flows are considerably less than normal and into which treated sewage is discharged:

Bear River – Corinne
Beer Creek – Salem, Payson
Chalk Creek – Coalville
Cub River – Richmond
Dry Creek – Spanish Fork
Duchesne River – Duchesne
Eureka Creek – Eureka
East Canyon Creek – Jeremy Ranch
Little Bear River – Hyrum, Wellsville
Malad River – Bear River City, Tremonton
Pond System – Springville
Price River – Wellington
San Pitch River – Moroni
San Rafael River Tributaries – Castle Dale, Ferron, Emery, Huntington, Orangeville
Silver Creek – Park City
Shoal Creek – Enterprise
Virgin River – St. George
Other locations – check with your local wastewater service district

Although all treatment facilities are required to meet appropriate standards to protect public health, the lack of dilution water under these extreme drought conditions may cause the rivers and streams that receive these discharges to experience exceedences of water quality standards, which may raise the risk for water-borne illnesses.

For more information, contact William Moellmer, Division of Water Quality, at (801) 538-6329 or at wmoellmer@utah.gov.

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Public Health Advisory: Drought Causing Low Flows, Less Dilution in Streams and Rivers