SOUTH SALT LAKE, Utah — South Salt Lake officials lifted an earlier alert regarding manganese in the drinking water Wednesday.

On June 29, 2021, officials found elevated levels of manganese in a water system well located at approximately 300 East. 

Officials said in the release, “Manganese is a naturally-occurring element that is an essential nutrient for humans and animals.” The extra manganese in the water is not harmful to older adults but can be harmful to infants under six months of age. 

Officials taking action to clear up the water 

South Salt Lake officials stated in the release they are taking action to clear up the water for residents. “‘[The] water system is conducting flushing of water mains in impacted areas in order to reduce the manganese concentrations.”

According to the Utah Department of Environmental Quality stated, “Water from wells very rarely requires treatment or disinfection.”  When water treatment does take place, they add chlorine to kill germs and bacteria but chlorine does not harm humans directly. 

“The water system resumed its treatment process used to reduce [the] manganese levels and discoloration issues on Sunday,” the release stated. Finally, the city will take ongoing samples and will notify the public continuously of those results till levels are normal. 

Sample results of South Salt Lake water

In addition to manganese, officials also tested the water for iron, lead, and copper. “Elevated iron levels have been found above the secondary drinking water standards,” the release stated. 

However, the lead and copper levels in the water are normal and not elevated. 

Again, there are no health effects from exceeding the secondary standard for iron but high amounts of it cause discoloration and odor in the water. If you experience discoloration or odor to your water, the release advised you run your tap until the issue goes away.