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Phillipsburg water tests show disinfectant-byproduct problem; town, county weigh fixes
Summary
Town staff told Granite County commissioners that quarterly tests show disinfectant-byproduct (DBP) levels near or above reporting thresholds; DEQ removed a filtration waiver and an initial engineering estimate to install filtration was roughly $12 million, prompting county and town staff to seek less costly alternatives.
Town staff described water-quality results and regulatory concerns to Granite County commissioners on Sept. 16, saying tests showed disinfectant-byproduct (DBP) levels that require public notifications and that the Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) has removed a prior filtration waiver.
Maureen Connor, who identified herself as working for the town of Phillipsburg, told the commission the town's routine DBP level is currently "right below the level" but that the town must send a public warning when the line on the quarterly graph is crossed. She explained DBPs form when chlorine used to treat water bonds chemically with natural organic matter. "If the DBPs are a little high, that will come out to the public every quarter," she said.
Connor said DEQ has required filter installation in the past and that, in Phillipsburg's case, a preliminary estimate to build a filtration system was about "$12,000,000," a price she called unlikely for a system serving roughly 540 ratepayers. She told commissioners the town has already installed an upgraded chlorine system using ARPA funds and that she and county staff are pursuing alternatives to avoid a full filtration plant: "So what it amounts to is those were, the bulk of the water comes from Fred Burr Creek... We think we'll be using a little less chlorine... both him and me think that we're gonna be able to" reduce the need for an expensive filtration system.
Commissioners asked for written water reports and clarification of next steps; staff noted DEQ's removal of the filtration waiver means the town must address the regulatory issue but that short-term public-safety-level actions such as boil-water orders were not currently required. Connor emphasized the technical and cost constraints: "With, you know, like, 540 rate payers, you're not putting in a $12,000,000 system."
The commissioners did not adopt a policy action at the meeting but asked staff to return with a written water report and to continue coordination with the town and DEQ. The matter is likely to recur as testing continues and as DEQ guidance or grant opportunities evolve.
