Homeland Security concerns, among other things, critical infrastructure. How safe are our water sources?

Water supplies are considered critical infrastructure. Source Protection is imperative.

PROPOSED DAVIS COUNTY DRINKING WATER SOURCE PROTECTION ORDINANCE

Drinking water, next to the air we breathe, is our most important natural resource. All development is dependant on water. Water quality impacts property values.

Although water quality in Davis County is good, we have a responsibility to keep it free from contamination and pollutants.

Although a few municipalities have adopted Drinking Water Source Protection Ordinances, Davis County has failed to do so. Without an ordinance, much of the drinking water within Davis County is not as protected as required by the Safe Drinking Water Act of the United States.

Special Districts rely on Davis County and the municipalities to enforce land use around water sources as the Utah Legislature has not given special districts the ability to enforce their source water protection plans. Where Davis County has not adopted an ordinance, special districts may have to resort to private lawsuits under federal statues to protect water sources from contamination.

The Source Protection Plan is federally mandated. Primacy can be jeopardized if federal mandates are neither enacted nor enforced.

Developing a Source Protection Ordinance

• Index Davis County Water Ordinances
If decisions are based on existing rules and ordinances but those rules and ordinances are not readily available, how is policy formed?

• Develop Davis County Water Map indicating Primary, Secondary recharge zones
Salt Lake County has a map of primary and secondary recharge zones, developed privately. Davis County has none. “It makes sense to look at source protection on a wider basis than system-by-system.” Lewis Garrett, Davis County Health Department.

• Develop multiple maps of all Contaminant Plumes /Contaminant sites as overlays
In Davis County, there are 2 superfund sites, 5 voluntary cleanup sites and 679 Underground Storage Tanks, 294 of which are leaking. “Greater than 90% of the substances stored in these Underground Storage Tanks regulated by the DERR are petroleum products such as gasoline and diesel. These compounds of petroleum are the primary contaminants the DERR focuses on when developing cleanup levels for impacted water.” Paul Zahn DERR

• Develop County wide ordinance or broaden the a water systems allowing for enforcement of the Source Protection Plan as per the Safe Drinking Water Act
“Davis County Health Department has authority to enforce state and federal laws pertaining to wellhead protection but it has not developed any local regulations, ordinances, contracts or agreements dealing with this issue. “ Lewis Garrett, Davis County Health Department