Commitment to Quality

Park City Water Department is committed to providing the highest quality drinking water and the best service to our customers. We take pride in protecting public health through our continual efforts to provide safe and reliable water to your homes and businesses. The Water Department performs hundreds of different tests on a regular basis to ensure the water you are drinking meets or is better than the standards set by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the Utah Department of Environmental Quality Division of Drinking water (DDW). Water Department staff works closely with DDW to make certain all drinking water standards are met every time you open a tap at your home or business.

See below information about our Annual Drinking Water Quality Consumer Confidence Report which provides information about the sources of water, water quality testing results and the treatment facilities that are operated by Water Department staff in addition to other EPA required information.

Annual Water Quality Consumer Confidence Report

The Park City Water Department, as required by the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the Utah State Division of Drinking Water (DDW), annually publishes the Water Quality Consumer Confidence Report (CCR) (Leer en Español). The CCR provides information about the sources of water and the treatment facilities that are operated by Water Department staff in addition to other EPA required information. The CCR reports the highest and lowest levels of each parameter that is detected from the sources that supply water to the distribution system. Many other parameters are tested for and if they are not detected EPA recommends against including these parameters in the CCR. The CCR also includes results for some parameters that are collected in the distribution system, such as total coliforms, chlorine residuals, disinfectant by-products, and others from within buildings, such as lead and copper.

PFAS in Well Water: Preparing to meet new proposed standards

In early 2023, the Environmental Protection Agency proposed Drinking Water regulatory standards for a group of chemicals called Per-and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances (PFAS), commonly known as “forever chemicals.” PFAS are a large family of synthetic chemicals that have been used in a wide variety of consumer products and industrial processes since the mid-20th century. PFAS has been found in Park City’s well water, not our other drinking water sources (surface water, spring, and tunnel water). PFAS compound concentrations in Park City’s groundwater and the proposed EPA standards can be can be found in the City’s Annual Drinking Water Consumer Confidence Report. Well water is blended with PFAS-free water from other water sources, and the majority of the time PFAS levels are below EPA’s proposed quality standards at the tap. Since the proposed regulation was just released, Park City does not have active water treatment in place to remove PFAS from well water. We are evaluating PFAS treatment technologies and additional blending strategies so that we are compliant by EPA’s anticipated regulatory deadline. The EPA anticipates finalizing the currently proposed drinking water limits in 2024 with compliance required in 2027 so that water systems have time to plan and implement compliance strategies. We recommend reading this article provided by the EPA which outlines, “Meaningful and Achievable Steps You Can Take to Reduce Your Risk and Limit Your Exposure to PFAS” from many routes of exposure and this article provided by the Colorado Department of Public Health and the Environment which outlines home treatment devices that remove PFAS. We have identified that Fluoro ski wax is the probable contamination source and have been working diligently to reduce the continued impact on our water supplies by prohibiting it by ordinance and partnering with the community and retailers on a ski wax take back program and encouraging everyone to ski Fluoro-free. For more information go to engageparkcity.org/ski-wax.

Ski Wax Take Back Program We are proud of the community for turning in 600 pounds of Fluoro ski wax, the probable source of PFAS detections in well water. Pictured on the left:  Carolyn Wawra, Recycle Utah Executive Director, and Michelle De Haan, Park City Municipal Water Quality and Treatment Manager

Water Quality in your Neighborhood

As part of Park City Water Department's commitment to water quality, testing has been significantly expanded beyond that required by EPA and DDW. Samples are being collected within the distribution system at locations that represent water being delivered to homes and businesses throughout the system. For Information about Water Quality in Your Neighborhood click here.

Home & Business Owner Responsibilities – Been Away? Flush Your Pipes

Many of Park City’s 2^nd homes and seasonal businesses are unoccupied for extended periods. Park City's Water Department is dedicated to delivering high quality drinking water, and it is important homeowners and businesses understand their responsibility beyond the meter to ensure continued high quality drinking water at the tap. Past the meter, each customer is responsible for the quality of its water. Park City water quality staff has guidance for home and business owners to maintain good water quality inside their homes and businesses. If a home or building has been empty or under used for months, it’s important to “flush the water lines” to move out the older water and bring in fresh water. The quality of the water that’s been sitting in the internal plumbing of an empty or under-used home or building can decline, creating taste and odor issues, discolored water, and potentially bacteria growth. It’s important to move out that older water and bring in a fresh supply.

Who Should Flush - Any home, facility, business, school, or office building that has been empty or under used for months.

What to Flush - All appliances that use water including faucets, drinking water fountains, kitchen sprayers, dishwashers, ice makers, toilets, hot water heaters, spas, and decorative water features.

How to Flush – Park City Water’s step-by-step infographic (below), adapted from Louisville Water, and their animated video helps guide customers through the flushing process.

Cross Connection Control & Backflow Program

Park City Public Utilities works hard to ensure the safety of your drinking water. Our Cross-connection control and Backflow Prevention Program plays a vital role in preventing contamination of drinking water caused by backflow through a metered connection. For more information click here.