National Drinking Water Week runs through May 9. Park City Public Utilities Director Clint McAfee [MAC-uh-fee] said the mountain town is celebrating by sharing all things drinking water with locals.
“Normally, we operate in the background, and people don't know we're there unless something goes wrong,” he said. “But this week, it's an opportunity to really highlight the work we do.”
McAfee said the city has a diverse water source portfolio. About half of Park City’s water supply comes from the abandoned Judge, Spiro and Ontario mining tunnels. Another 30% is imported from the Rockport Reservoir. The rest comes from three wells in the Park Meadows area.
All of it flows through three local treatment plants.
McAfee said water from the Judge and Spiro tunnels are treated at the 3Kings Water Treatment Plant, which started pumping in May 2024. The plant removes seven heavy metals from the water.
“A lot of the metals that the miners were looking for during the mining days are problematic from a drinking water standpoint,” McAfee said. “So 3Kings Water Treatment plants remove those metals to well below the safe limits.”
The Quinns Junction Water Treatment Plant treats water from the Weber River, which feeds into the Rockport Reservoir. McAfee said instead of removing metals from the water, the plant removes dangerous pathogens that can make people sick if consumed.
The process also involves a granular activated carbon treatment so the water tastes and smells better.
Finally, the Creekside Water Treatment Plant treats well water in the Park Meadows area.
“We have a filter system that also uses ultraviolet light for disinfection that treats water from one of our wells that's actually impacted by McLeod Creek,” McAfee said.
McAfee also has a team of around 35 professionals ensuring locals have access to safe, high-quality drinking water. According to social media videos shared by the city, 11 certified water treatment plant operators and scientists also monitor, test and treat water at the plants every day.
The city has several construction projects on the horizon as well to improve water delivery and quality.
From May through October, the city will convert a well near McPolin Elementary from a drinking water source to a raw water source for irrigation. From June through October, crews will replace a water line in the Pinnacle subdivision just north of Snowpark Lodge.
“The infrastructure in that neighborhood has reached the end of its life, and we're seeing a higher failure rate than we would like to see. So we're going to be replacing all that infrastructure,” McAfee said.
During the same timeframe, crews will also connect water lines between the Park City Heights and Studio Crossing neighborhoods.
National Drinking Water Week also emphasizes the importance of conserving water. McAfee said the city’s Landscape Incentive Program is a good option for locals who want to convert to waterwise landscaping ahead of a dry summer.
