OCR Text |
Show particularly involved in erosion control measures. Conservation plans implemented by participating members are a necessary part of the overall control plan. It is presently within the power of each d individual to help cut down on this pollution by implementing good management and preventative practices. But it will take a major effort by everyone living in the Mountainland area. man-cause- Mountainland has nearly 670 miles of streams and rivers plus five large lakes and reservoirs and numerous smaller lakes. The maximum use of this great resource is the key to the development of the Mountainland area. Consequently, development of a working relationship between water quality and land use is perhaps the most important challenge facing local planning commissions. R is much more expensive to correct problems created by undirected urban sprawl than it is to prevent the difficulties in the first place. To assist the cities in making development and water quality compatible, the Mountainland Association of Governments has developed a water plan that is designed to assure good preventative measures and good management practices. In the survey conducted by MAG, nearly all the streams and lakes in the area have been evaluated as to water quality. Extensive testing and analysis provided sufficient data to characterize the streams and lakes. These findings suggest most of the streams in the Mountainland area are of fair to good qualRy. However, there are some localized water quality problems that will need correcting before our streams can provide maximum benefit to the community. three-count- y Lattes assessing the quality of water and habitat in Mountainland's major lakes, R was found that Utah Lake ranks fair to good while the other lakes (including reservoirs) rank from good to excellent In facilities are operating beyond design capacity and most of them will not meet future state and EPA water quality standards. Increased population will soon exceed the capacity of the plants. As a result, sophisticated facilities which single communities cannot afford become necessary. A shift is beginning waste water away from traditional facilities. treatment systems to Instead of 18 systems as existed in it is there will be only that 1995 1975, by proposed 12 treatment systems serving 25 communities. Recommendations are to consolidate 8 of the existing 18 facilities into 4 regional plants with additional sewer collection systems constructed in 4 presently unsewered communities or areas. And in regard to management, instead of one form of management agency (city), there will be eight different management arrangements for sewage single-communi- The price tag Conserving the good life in Mountainland is not free. Because we live in a growing, changing area, facilities to control point sources of pollution must be improved and upgraded. However, it should be emphasized that in upgrading existing and proposed wastewater treatment facilities, the focal share of these costs is 25 percent while federal grants will cover 75 percent. The expected cost of implementing point source abatement plans for wastewater facilities will exceed $55,000,000 with an estimated focal share of $14,000,000. Nonpoint source abatement plans are much more expensive totaling $126,000,000. These are only rough estimates and could vary greatly in actuality. These figures are included only to indicate the magnitude of the problem and its solution. ty multi-commun- single-communi- Sources el poMon The Mountainland Water Quality Study determined the pollutants found wRhin the drainage basin of a treatment. stream is attributable to three sources: background influenced man's (not by activities), point source (treatment plants, industries, fish hatcheries, eta), and nonpoint sources (ail other forms of pollution due ty . Mint sources Cleaning up a few problem areas of pollution and maintaining a better water quality in the future will be expensive. These costs will not totally be borne by local government. In the case of This type of pollution is much more complex because wastewater treatment, the federal government will sources. it comes from a variety of activities.' However, pay 75 percent of the cost. Related to sources there is a definite cost to the community that governmental programs such as land use planning must be assumed. Agriculturalists, the construction and subdivision development and enforcement of health and nuisance ordinances as they relate to industry, urban areas, and others will be expected to water pollution control will be necessary if we are to pay their fair share. A recent amendment to the Point sources such as municipal wastewater National Water Quality Act expanding cost sharing clean up our water sources from mans pollution. treatment facilities and industries have been In addition, the Soil Conservation Districts are also programs has been approved to assist agriculture to increasingly monitored and controlled in recent years. better deal with a portion of the problem. key agencies in good management They are Stringent standards have been established by both of Division Health. Thera the EPA and the Utah State are currently 18 publicly-owne- d sewage treatment facilities in Mountainland and 12 industries which discharge significant amounts of waste water directly into surface waters. Many of the sewage treatment to mans activities such as agriculture, recreation, construction, and mining). However, the sources that cause the greatest concern are point and nonpoint olpoMon non-poi- nt Point sources ol pollution |