“During this week last year [2019], Sandy city residents were experiencing what the (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) has characterized as the largest fluoride overfeed event in the nation’s history,” Marie Owens told a legislative appropriations subcommittee last week.
Feb 19, 2020. Is your drinking water safe? 350,000 Utahns receiving water from systems with known problems. By Amy Joi O’Donoghue. Deseret News .
In 2019: “On the afternoon of Tuesday February 5th through 2pm Thursday February 7th, a fluoride chemical feed system malfunctioned, and an excessive amount of chemical was added to the drinking water at one location.”
That was the Notice sent to residents on February 8, 2019, from the Public Utilities of Sandy. The Associated Press reported on Feb 18: “The faulty pump poured an overload of fluoride into the city’s water system, which corroded pipes in some properties and caused the release of toxic lead and copper” (AP mistakenly stated the accident occurred Feb 6). Numerous residents became ill, including a 3-month old baby. The local media highlighted the fact that the city failed to quickly notify the residents and state officials of the dangerous contamination. One report noted, “Officials initially thought the contamination only affected about 60 homes, but it was later discovered that some 600 homes were involved.”
May 23, 2019: Investigation Report: Sandy City Fluoride Overfeed
A state-mandated report on the Sandy overfeed issue, written by Parsons Behle & Latimer, was released on May 23, 2019. It is an investigation “into Sandy City’s operational and regulatory response to the fluoride overfeed event that occurred from February 5, 2019 to February 7, 2019.”
FAN Sends Letter to Utah Public Officials on Sandy Incident
On March 7, 2019, FAN sent a letter requesting public disclosure of full information, especially the levels of fluoride and lead reached in people’s drinking water. The letter also requested a thorough health investigation that would assess both acute and possible long-term effects.
Drinking Water Tests Available as of Feb 23, 2017:
Feb 7, 2019. “A Sandy water sample taken on Feb. 7 but not provided to the state until Feb. 23 showed a fluoride level of 151.5 miligrams per liter.”
Feb 16, 2019. Work Order 19B0748: Results for Fluoride on pages 2,4,6
Feb 17, 2019. Work Order 19B0750: Copper & Lead (searchable document)
Feb 17, 2019. Work Order 19B0752: Copper & Lead (searchable document)
Feb 17, 2019. Work Order 19B0753: Copper & Lead (searchable document)
Interactive map on fluoride in Sandy water
UPDATED COVERAGE:
May 30, 2019. Investigation says Sandy City failed to give public notice about water contamination, by Joshua Ellis and Elle Thomas, Fox 13, Salt Lake City.
May 30, 2019. ‘We overdosed them’: Outside investigation details Sandy City missteps in dealing with water crisis, by Taylor Stevens, The Salt Lake Tribune.
May 30, 2019. Report: Sandy limiting notice of water contamination to avoid ‘panic’ was ‘not warranted’, by Ashley Imlay, Deseret News.
May 30, 2019. Report: Sandy didn’t comply with notice requirements during water debacle, by Jacob Klopfenstein, KSL.com.
May 30, 2019. Sandy City Public Utilities Director Tom Ward reinstated, Press Release, City of Sandy, UtahPolicy.com.
April 21, 2019. 239 Sandy residents sickened by February fluoride release, by The Associated Press. The Eagle (Texas).
April 21, 2019. 239 Sandy residents sickened by February fluoride release, by The Associated Press. Local News8 ABC (Salt Lake City).
April 20, 2019. Report shows 239 people sickened in Utah fluoride overfeed; investigation continuing, by Amy Joi O’Donoghue, Deseret News.
March 20, 2019. Health officials report only 1 person with elevated lead in Sandy after fluoride contamination event, by Amy Joi O’Donoghue, Deseret News.
March 19, 2019. No sign of elevated lead in the blood of Sandy residents after the big water contamination, by Sean P. Means, The Salt Lake Tribune.
March 15, 2019. ‘There’s Something Wrong With The Water,’ Sandy 911 Calls Detail Contamination Concerns, by Ladd Egan, KSL-TV.
March 14, 2019. Sandy residents still dealing with contaminated water, by Ladd Egan, Deseret News.
March 11, 2019. From flooding to sick kids and pets, small legal claims show Sandy water crisis had a big impact on residents, by Taylor Stevens, The Salt Lake Tribune.
March 8, 2019. Fluoride Overfeed Incident Needs Health Investigation. Press Release, Fluoride Action Network.
March 8, 2019, Sandy City to launch investigation of tainted water with narrowed scope, by Sahalie Donaldson, The Salt Lake Tribune.
March 8, 2019. Utah and fluoride spills — it’s not just a Sandy thing, by Amy Joi O’Donoghue, KSL-TV.
March 7, 2019. Sandy hit with three drinking water violations, by Amy Joi O’Donoghue, Deseret News.
March 7, 2019. Sandy City releases emails showing delayed, down-played water warnings to residents. by Tania Dean, KSL-TV.
March 7, 2019. Sandy officials shelved water contamination press release to avoid panic, email reveals, by Michael Locklear, KUTV.
March 6, 2019. Are you signed up for your Utah County city’s emergency alert system? Daily Herald.
Feb 27, 2019. Sandy City Council dysfunction on full display during meeting on issues related to poor communication with the mayor, reports of low morale, by Taylor Stevens, The Salt Lake Tribune.
Feb 27, 2019. Sandy warns of scammers offering to test water after contamination troubles, Ashley Imlay, The Salt Lake Tribune.
Feb 26, 2019. Sandy City Council to consider issues related to poor communication with the mayor, reports of low morale, by Taylor Stevens, The Salt Lake Tribune.
Feb 26, 2019. Utah City Recovers From Drinking Water Ban Caused By Fluoride Spill, by Peter Chawaga, Water Online.
Feb 25, 2019. Sandy: Are your pets sick from contaminated water? By Brittany Johnson, ABC4 News.
Feb 23, 2019. For ‘peace of mind,’ the health department is offering free lead testing for Sandy residents after water contamination, by Courtney Tanner, The Salt Lake Tribune.
Feb 23, 2019. Computer animation shows how fluoride likely traveled through Sandy City water system, by Sean Moody, KSL-TV.
Feb 23, 2019. Ogden officials say Sandy-style water contamination issues not likely to occur here, by Mitch Shaw, Standard-Examiner.
Feb 23, 2019. Free blood tests available to Sandy residents affected by water contamination, ABC4 News.
Feb 21, 2019. Sandy City seeks volunteers to collect water samples from 1,000 homes, by McKenzie Stauffer, KJZZ.com.
Feb 20, 2019. Letter to Sandy Residents from the Salt Lake County Health Department.
Feb 20, 2019. Sandy public utility director placed on paid administrative leave during investigation of tainted water, by David Wells, FOX13-TV (Salt Lake City).
Feb 20, 2019. Sandy City Council will hire technical experts to investigate water contamination, by Jim Spiewak, KUTV.
Feb 20, 2019. Sandy public utilities director on paid administrative leave in wake of fluoride event, by Amy Joi O’Donoghue, Deseret News.
Feb 20, 2019. After Sandy crisis, some Salt Lake County leaders want to remove fluoride from tap water, By Taylor Stevens, The Salt Lake Tribune.
Feb 19, 2019. Fluoridating Salt Lake County water: A look inside water treatment facilities, by Gina Roe, KUTV.
Feb 19, 2019. Sandy City Council votes to open an investigation into the city’s response to water quality issues, by Taylor Stevens, The Salt Lake Tribune.
Feb 19, 2019. Salt Lake County says fluoridated water is safe despite Sandy contamination incident, by Rick Aaron, ABC4 News.
Feb 19, 2019. Sandy City Water Quality Updates (Q&A), Sandy Public Utilities website.
Feb 19, 2019. ‘I wasn’t on top of this’: At Sandy town hall meeting, mayor answers questions about bad water and lack of communication, by Nate Carlisle, The Salt Lake Tribune.
Feb 19, 2019. 3 Utah schools deemed safe on lead, copper levels after Sandy water woes, by Amy Joi O’Donoghue, KSL.com.
Feb 19, 2019. Sandy left out state-required information in water contamination notices, by Michael Locklear, KUTV.
Feb 18, 2019. Fallout over Sandy’s contaminated water only beginning, by Michael Locklear, KUTV.
Feb 18, 2019. Sandy residents vent anger over city’s water ordeal, by Marjorie Cortez, KSL-TV.
Feb 18, 2019. As Sandy City declares all water now safe to drink, many residents wonder why it took a week to hear about tainted supplies, by Lee Davidson, The Salt Lake Tribune.
Feb 18, 2019. Latest Information on Drinking Water, Sandy Public Utilities website.
Feb 18, 2019. Utahns help test water in Sandy after lead, fluoride contamination, by Morgan Saxton, KUTV.
Feb 18, 2019. Sandy Residents Ask Why They Didn’t Hear About Water Problem, by AP, U.S. News & World Report.
Feb 17, 2019. All metals except for lead returned to safe drinking levels, Sandy City says, by Hailey Kirkwood, FOX13-TV (Salt Lake City).
Feb 17, 2019. Sandy City lifts no drink order on the remainder of affected area, by Rick Aaron, ABC4-TV.
Feb 17, 2019. As Sandy mayor apologizes for slow response to tap water crisis, many residents wonder why it took a week to hear about tainted supplies, by Lee Davidson, The Salt Lake Tribune.
Feb 16, 2019. Utah city delayed notifying state, public of contaminated water, by Amy Joi O’Donoghue, Deseret News.
Feb 16, 2019. Sandy delayed notifying state, public of contaminated water, by Amy Joi O’Donoghue, KSL-TV.
Feb 16, 2019. Sandy City has been cited by DEQ after tap water found contaminated with lead, copper and fluoride, by Paighten Harkins, The Salt Lake Tribune.
Feb 15, 2019. High levels of fluoride, copper and lead detected in water for hundreds of Sandy residents, city says, by Taylor Hartman and Elle Thomas, FOX13-TV (Salt Lake City).
Feb 15, 2019. High levels of lead, copper found in drinking water for 600 Sandy households, officials say, by Jacob Klopfenstein, KSL-TV.
Feb 15, 2019. Sandy estimates 600 homes affected by water contamination, says to flush water systems, by Alyssa Roberts, KUTV.
Feb 8, 2019. Notice of Recent Drinking Water Quality Event. Sandy City Water System discovered extremely high acute Fluoride levels. “On the afternoon of Tuesday February 5th through 2pm Thursday February 7th, a fluoride chemical feed system malfunctioned, and an excessive amount of chemical was added to the drinking water at one location.”
Jan 31, 2020. EXCLUSIVE: Cause of Sandy’s water contamination not what city leaders originally thought. By Jim Spiewak, KJZZ.
Feb 6, 2020. Investigation: Government failure at all levels in Sandy fluoride event. By Amy Joi O’Donoghue. KSL.com
Feb 19, 2020. Is your drinking water safe? 350,000 Utahns receiving water from systems with known problems. By Amy Joi O’Donoghue. Deseret News.
January 12, 2021. Approval by Water Board of the Stipulated Consent Order for massive fluoride overfeed with the City of Sandy. See the 98 page Drinking Water Packet here, in pdf.
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