News Article

iUTAH researchers Yusuf Jameel, a University of Utah graduate student, Geology and Geophysics professor Gabriel Bowen, and James Ehleringer, distinguished professor of biology, and colleagues sampled tap water throughout the Salt Lake Valley to see if stable isotopes of oxygen and hydrogen in the water could be used to study the various sources of water for the valley’s more than one million residents. The results of this study have been published in Water Resources Research.

A media release provided by the University of Utah’s science writer Paul Gabrielsen said, “The team found strong spatial patterns within the more than 800 tap water samples, indicative of how different sources of water are used in different parts of the valley. Isotopic signatures emphasized the importance of mountain snow to the valley’s water supply. The isotope signatures varied by season, reflecting the contribution of surface water. The team’s results show that isotopes of tap water can be used  to study how water is used over a large urban area, offering new tools for effective management of a precious and limited resource.

As Utah’s population continues to grow, water managers and water scientists are looking more at water’s journey to our taps. Drinking water can come from a variety of sources, including lakes, streams and groundwater. Of those sources, mountain snow and spring runoff also play a significant role.”

Journal Reference: Water Resources Research

Figure from publication shows tap water sampling sites in Salt Lake Valley.