May 22, 2024 |
Photo – Rawlins notice – Courtesy City of Rawlins
The City of Rawlins received a passing grade this week for its drinking water. Municipalities throughout Wyoming are required to periodically test their drinking water for harmful contaminants. The test results are compiled into an annual water quality report by the Environmental Protection Agency.
In Rawlins, the latest report shows that the city’s drinking water meets or exceeds all federal and state requirements.
Rawlins Superintendent of Water and Wastewater Bud Dimick explained a few of the contaminates the city must test for.
Arsenic levels of .006 milligrams per liter were found in a water sample taken at the Sage Creek Basin. Rawlins Public Relations Officer Mira Miller said the amount of the harmful element falls well below federal guidelines. Discovering arsenic may be alarming, but Miller said small amounts of the element occur naturally.
The city’s primary source of water comes from a collection of springs at the Sage Creek Basin, located approximately thirty miles south of Rawlins.
According to the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, ground water springs are more likely to contain trace amounts of naturally occurring arsenic than lakes and reservoirs.
Municipalities are also required to test for radioactive contaminants. Water and Wastewater Superintendent Dimick said radioactive contaminants found in the city’s drinking water fall below dangerous levels.
Uranium is also a naturally-occurring mineral found in local water sources, mostly through erosion. The EPA’s water quality report indicates that the city’s drinking water contains 11 micrograms of uranium per liter. A violation occurs when 30 or more micrograms per liter is discovered. Dimick said the water samples used for testing are mainly collected right from the water treatment plant. The water superintendent said the city consistently meets the government’s water requirements.
Dimick said every month, he performs bacteriological testing, called BAC-T, at 10 different locations throughout the city. The water superintendent said the city’s water contains little to no harmful bacteria.
Like many towns across the country, Rawlins uses chlorine to control bacteria in its drinking water. The EPA requires a certain amount of the chemical to be in the water supply. Dimick said he can regulate chlorine amounts to ensure the water is clean, but also palatable.
In the past, turbidity, or the number of particles found in the water, has been a problem for the city. On August 18th, 2022, Rawlins received a violation from the EPA for the cloudiness of its water.
Dimick said work at the Sage Creek Spring boxes caused the high turbidity. The water superintendent said none of the turbid water reached residents.
The most recent water quality report shows that turbidity levels in the city’s drinking water are once again within acceptable levels.
The Environmental Protection Agency has found that the drinking water in Rawlins is safe.
For more information or to request a copy of the latest EPA water quality report, call Rawlins Public Relations Officer Mira Miller at 328-4500 extension 1022. A digital copy of the report can be found at www.rawlinswy.gov/watertreatment. Physical copies of the water quality report are available at the Rawlins City Hall, located at 521 West Cedar Street.
