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Drinking Water

The Water Quality Bureau helps protect drinking water by:

  • Inspecting public water systems
  • Collecting and analyzing water samples from public water systems
  • Investigating suspected waterborne illnesses and complaints

Regulation of public water systems in Utah is the responsibility the Utah Department of Environmental Quality, Division of Drinking Water, which ensures that our state's water systems meet the guidelines contained in the EPA's Safe Drinking Water Act, the federal law that protects public drinking water supplies.

Even when drinking water meets state and federal water quality standards, it can, at times, have a strange taste or smell or appear discolored. This does not necessarily present a health concern. Taste and smell problems are often caused by plumbing within a home, especially in homes with older plumbing.

If you are concerned about the taste, smell, or appearance of your drinking water, contact your specific water system (for more information, see "Look Up Your Public Water System" below).

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Your Public Water

Your public water system depends on where you live in Salt Lake County.

Your water system is the water company that provides your culinary (tap) water; it's where you pay your water bill and may be called an “improvement district,” “water conservancy district,” or may be part of your city’s public utility department.

Public water systems must test their water on a regular basis; the frequency of testing depends on the size of the system—water companies with more customers must test more frequently than smaller systems with fewer customers—but ranges from daily to a few times per month.

Water testing includes contaminant testing required by the EPA. Your water system is required to send their users a Consumer Confidence Report annually that lists the results of their testing; many water systems also post these reports on their web sites.

There are several public water systems operating in Salt Lake County. Be aware that water system boundaries do not necessarily align with municipal boundaries (for example, your water system may be Salt Lake City Public Utilities even if you do not live in Salt Lake City proper).

If you don't know which water system serves your home, you can look up your public water system at the Utah Division of Drinking Water by entering your street address and ZIP code or city. The search results will include contact information for your water system.

Look Up Your Public Water System

Private Wells

Private wells and springs approved as a source of drinking water must meet several testing and design requirements, including quantity, pressure, and quality standards.

Access to an approved drinking water source, either through a public water system or an approved private well or spring, is a requirement for occupying a home in Salt Lake County.

Complete requirements for these individual water systems are listed in Salt Lake County’s Health Regulations but, in summary, an approved system must have:

  • Necessary legal water rights.
  • Physical ability to supply at least 400 gallons per day per household, 365 days per year (800 gallons if it will also supply landscape water).
  • Physical ability to provide at least 20 pounds per square inch of pressure at all times.
  • Contaminant levels below the maximums listed in our health regulation (the system may be subject to further sampling and analysis based on specific circumstances).

Wells must have been drilled according to all Utah Division of Water Rights requirements and must meet depth, location, protection zone, and other parameters.

Springs must meet location, collection device, junction box, flow measurement, and other requirements.

If you have questions, contact us at 385-468-3862.

SLCo Health Regulations

Water Well Drilling Information and Requirements

Utah Division of Water Rights

Bottled Water

Many consumers are surprised to learn that bottled water may be less safe than their tap water.

The EPA and Utah Division of Drinking Water set standards that all public drinking water providers throughout Salt Lake County must meet. Bottled water providers are not required to meet these same water quality standards.

Some bottled water is treated more than tap water, but other bottled water is not treated at all. If you choose to purchase bottled water, read the label to understand exactly what you are buying, and remember that individually bottled water contributes significantly to our waste stream.

Tap water in Salt Lake County is regularly tested for safety and is the environmentally friendly choice.

Environmental Protection Agency

Utah Division of Drinking Water

Fluoride FAQs

Fluoride is a naturally occurring mineral released from rocks into the soil, water, and air.  Almost all water naturally contains some fluoride.

Fluoride benefits children and adults throughout their lives.

  • For children younger than 8, fluoride helps strengthen the adult (permanent) teeth that are developing under the gums.
  • For adults, drinking water with fluoride builds stronger tooth enamel, keeping teeth healthy.

The health benefits of fluoride include having fewer cavities and less severe cavities. This means there is less need for fillings and removing teeth, and less pain and suffering because of tooth decay.

Fluoride stops or even reverses the tooth decay process—it keeps tooth enamel strong and solid.

Tooth decay is caused by certain bacteria in the mouth. When a person eats sugar and other refined carbohydrates, these bacteria produce acid that removes minerals from the surface of the tooth. Fluoride helps to remineralize tooth surfaces and prevents cavities from forming.

Studies show that fluoride in community water systems prevents at least 25% of tooth decay in children and adults, even in an era with widespread availability of fluoride from other sources, such as fluoride toothpaste.

While almost all water already has naturally occurring fluoride, usually the amount is not high enough to have positive health effects. Salt Lake County Health Regulation #33 requires most public water systems in the county to add a little more of this mineral to reach the recommended amount of fluoride. This is similar to fortifying other foods and beverages, like fortifying salt with iodine, milk with vitamin D, orange juice with calcium, and bread with folic acid.

Water fluoridation's biggest advantage is that it is the best method for delivering fluoride to all members of the community regardless of age, education, income level, or access to routine dental care. Fluoride's effectiveness in preventing tooth decay extends throughout life, resulting in fewer and less severe cavities. In fact, each generation born since the start of water fluoridation has enjoyed better dental health than the preceding generation.

Salt Lake County began community water fluoridation in 2003, after a public vote to do so in 2000.

The U.S. Public Health Service recommends 0.7 milligrams of fluoride for every liter of water. This is roughly equal to three drops of fluoride in a 55-gallon barrel of water. This amount of fluoride has been shown to reduce the rate of cavities for children and adults.

Salt Lake County Health Department requires public water systems to regularly monitor and sample fluoride levels to ensure each system is delivering the recommended level.

The safety and benefits of fluoride at levels used in water fluoridation have been thoroughly reviewed. These reviews have been conducted by scientific experts in the U.S., Canada, Australia, Great Britain, and other nations. These panels include scientists with expertise in medicine, biophysics, chemistry, toxicology, oral health, and epidemiology.

For more than 75 years, the best available scientific evidence consistently shows that community water fluoridation is safe and effective. It has been endorsed by numerous U.S. Surgeons General, and many of the most respected medical, dental, and public health organizations.

The largest organization of pediatricians in America reviewed the evidence related to the safety of water fluoridation. Its 2020 report reached this conclusion: "Opponents (of fluoridation) express a number of concerns that have been addressed or disproven by validated research."

Like many things that are good for us at the right amounts, very high levels of fluoride can cause negative health effects, including nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea.

The major source of fluoride toxicity remains oral hygiene products. Fluoride poisoning data collected by the American Association of Poison Control (AAPC) indicates that tooth paste ingestion remains the main source of fluoride toxicity, followed by mouth washes and supplements containing fluoride. This is why parents are advised to monitor young children’s toothbrushing.

There are no known negative health effects of fluoride at levels used for community water fluoridation (0.7 mg/L). Even at higher concentrations (such as 2-4 mg/L), there is no evidence of unwanted health effects, other than dental fluorosis (faint white spots on teeth that are not harmful).

The single dose (consumed at one time) of fluoride that could cause acute fluoride toxicity is 5 mg per kg of body weight. At the 0.7 mg/L level of fluoride used in community water fluoridation, an adult weighing 155 lbs. would need to drink almost 120 gallons of water at one time to reach a toxic dose.

The average lifetime cost per person to fluoridate a water supply is less than the cost of one dental filling. Americans who live in a fluoridated community save $32.19 per person, per year. How? By avoiding the costs of fillings, crowns, or other dental procedures.

Hydrofluorosilicic acid (H2SiF6), sodium fluoride (NaF), and sodium fluorosilicate (Na2SiF6) may be used for community water fluoridation in Utah.

Only approved manufacturers and distributors can supply fluoride to community water systems. The manufacturer and distributor of these chemicals must submit NSF/ANSI applications attesting to their quality and safety in manufacturing practices, packaging, and shipment practices to the Utah Division of Drinking Water and local health departments.

Not at levels beyond what the EPA recommends in drinking water.

Research into the benefits of fluoride in drinking water traces back to 1901. A dentist in Colorado investigated a community where people had spots on their teeth but very low rates of cavities. He began to realize that fluoride in drinking water might be a key factor.

In 1945, the city of Grand Rapids, Michigan, was the first to add fluoride to its city water system. Cavities in Grand Rapids dropped significantly. Since then, hundreds of cities across the country have started community water fluoridation.

The most recent federal health data show that more than 1.6 million Utahns (about 51% of the population) are on water systems that have fluoridated water.

In addition, nearly 73% of the U.S. population on community water systems receives fluoridated water. That's well over 200 million Americans, and it reflects widespread agreement that fluoridated water is safe and beneficial.