Mitigating the decay of distribution pipes, pipes inside of consumers homes, and lead and copper releases from plumbing fixtures can be major challenges for water utilities today. 

 

Ute Water Conservancy District attacks this challenge by producing drinking water that is non-corrosive to metals such as cast iron, lead, copper, and galvanized water lines. Ute Water’s corrosion control treatment plan targets a finished water pH of 8.3 throughout the distribution system, making it slightly scale forming. This scale, comprised mainly of naturally occurring magnesium and calcium in the water, forms a protective barrier within the pipes in our distribution system and within your home’s plumbing and fixtures.

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To ensure our water protects your plumbing, Ute Water constantly monitors the pH, calcium, and magnesium levels in the water both entering and leaving the treatment plant. As part of the current Lead & Copper Rule of the Safe Drinking Water Act, Ute Water tests water samples from select homes within our distribution system annually for the presence of lead and copper in order to determine the effectiveness of our corrosion control treatment plan. Part of this monitoring includes determining a 90th percentile calculation for lead in these homes. Currently that number is zero, meaning 90% or more of the samples analyzed had no lead.

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Recently, the Environmental Protection Agency announced significant revisions to the Lead & Copper Rule which are intended to make the rule more protective of public health. The revisions are broad and complex, and may impact the future methods by which we implement corrosion control in our distribution system.

 

Though the revisions will not take effect until January 16, 2024, Ute Water is preparing now for rule implementation to ensure we continue to provide water of the highest quality to all our customers. Please feel free to contact the water professionals at the Ute Water Treatment Plant with any questions you may have at (970) 464-5563.

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