Hatch Measure Giving Salt Lake Residents Clean Water Passes Key Senate Committee

Press Release

Critical legislation by Sen. Orrin Hatch (R-Utah) cleaning up water for northwest Salt Lake County residents has unanimously passed the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee.

Hatch's measure (S.745), an amendment to the Reclamation Wastewater and Groundwater Study and Facilities Act, would clean up polluted groundwater in Magna that had been contaminated by the Department of Defense. The legislation now awaits action by the full Senate.

"People living and working in the greater Salt Lake area shouldn't be forced to drink tainted water that has been polluted as a result of the Defense Department's negligence," Hatch said. "This legislation would clean up this water through the construction of a water treatment plant at Barton Well Field. The committee's key vote yesterday brings us one step closer to making the water safe for our communities, families and children."

The Barton Well Field would complement the water treatment plant the Magna Water District recently constructed to remove harmful chemicals from water in the area. Utah communities will benefit from this project as well.

"The new technology developed at this facility demonstrates that our state can and will find solutions to the problems we face -- in this case, the reversing of the damage this pollution has caused to this precious resource and the people of Magna."

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