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ST. GEORGE — Plans are in the works for a $10 million arsenic treatment plant near Gunlock that would provide more backup water sources for St. George.
St. George Water Services plans to build the plant on Gunlock Road just south of Gunlock reservoir, Water Services Director Scott Taylor said. The project is slated to begin construction next year, and the estimated $10 million for the building will come out of the water services budget, Taylor said.
Arsenic is a naturally occurring mineral that can harm the human body if a person is exposed to high levels. However, the Environmental Protection Agency has designated if the arsenic level in water is kept at or below 10 parts per billion, it is safe to be used as drinking water.
“Arsenic is found in a lot of groundwater all over,” Taylor said. “An arsenic treatment plant would remove the arsenic out of the water to a safe drinking water standard.”
Out of 11 groundwater wells owned by St. George Water Services near Gunlock, only two have a low enough arsenic level to be considered safe by the EPA, Taylor said. The other nine wells aren’t being used at this time because they have too much arsenic in them, Taylor said.
“We’ve just had to mothball the other nine wells we can’t use,” Taylor said. “We feel like the timing is right to build this plant so we can utilize all of the groundwater over there.”
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