Frequently Asked Questions

PureSoJo is a new and innovative project that involves purifying recycled water to meet and exceed drinking water standards. It will be a pilot project used to demonstrate advanced water purification technology that may be part of the answer to long-term water supply needs.

Yes, the first two steps break down these chemicals, and during step three, the granular activated carbon (GAC) containers remove PFAS and pharmaceuticals completely. There is an additional step in the purification process AFTER these chemicals are removed, so you can know it's safe. Both of these chemicals are sampled weekly and, through the duration of this demonstration project, have been proven to be removed.

As part of long-term planning for water supply, the City is pursuing this water purification demonstration project to determine if water recycling can and should be part of the City’s future water supply. A water purification demonstration project in Utah will serve to educate water agencies, water customers and the general public on a valuable resource that is currently not being utilized. Viable water purification projects are happening in the United States, including Texas, Florida, Arizona, Colorado and California. 

Planning for additional water supplies to meet growing demands should include an analysis of all water sources available to the City. The purification of recycled water will be necessary in the western United States, including Utah, to meet water demands for growing populations and the trend of decreased water supply.

Current technology allows recycled water to be cleaned and made into a source of safe, reliable, and pure drinking water. A cost-effective, multi-step, ozone/bio-filtration-based treatment process has been tested in Florida and has consistently shown to be pure, clean water, meeting and even exceeding drinking water standards. The City is currently partnering with Carollo Engineering to ensure the right technology is used and operated appropriately to accomplish the goals of the project. Carollo Engineering and its professionals are leaders in water purification.

The City has been working closely with the State of Utah Division of Drinking Water and Division of Water Quality on this project. A special permit has been issued by the State Division of Drinking Water for the City to operate this project and purify the recycled water. The City will work closely with State officials, including sharing water sample test data for treated water.

In addition to City staff working on this project, other project partners include South Valley Sewer District, Carollo Engineering, State of Utah Divisions of Drinking Water and Water Quality, and The University of Utah Civil & Environmental Engineering Dept.

Approximately 10 gallons per minute (GPM) of effluent water from the Jordan Basin Water Reclamation Facility, which is owned and operated by the South Valley Sewer District, will be cleaned through an advanced purification process that will produce water that meets drinking water standards. City staff will be taking water samples from the site and sending them to independent water quality labs that are certified to perform the tests required for this project. The purified water will ultimately end up back in our local water cycle by entering the Jordan River.

Within a year of startup, the City plans to offer educational tours for the public. The tours will focus on the important role that water recycling can play to meet the state’s water supply needs, how technology is used to purify recycled water and how the economics of water recycling make sense to consider this source for future water supply.

The facility is finished and has been running since March, 2022. The facility will be open for tours after March of 2023. Taste testing of the water will be available once the appropriate permits are obtained.

Residents wanting to learn more can call and speak with City staff involved with the project to learn more, at 801-446-HELP.

Email Jason Rasmussen – Assistant City Manager

Email Raymond Garrison – Public Works Director  

We encourage children to watch the following educational video about the Pure SoJo Water Purification project made just for them!