Salt Lake City, Utah Water Outage Today
Live Salt Lake City water outage reports, Salt Lake City Department of Public Utilities’s emergency line and the system’s federal record.
Weather data by Open-Meteo.com
No water outage reports in Salt Lake City, Utah in the last 24 hours
The most recent water outage report from Salt Lake City came in 8 days ago. Over the past 90 days, Salt Lake City residents filed 8 water outage reports here on 6 separate days; the busiest was September 18, with 3.
Who supplies water in Salt Lake City?
Drinking water in Salt Lake City, Utah is supplied by Salt Lake City Department of Public Utilities, which handles outages, main breaks and boil water notices for the city.
Public water systems in Utah are regulated by the Utah Division of Drinking Water.
To report no water or a main break, call Salt Lake City Department of Public Utilities at 801-483-6700.
Who runs the water in Salt Lake City: system profile
Salt Lake City Water System is the water system EPA lists for Salt Lake City, serving about 383,612 people. Customers know it as Salt Lake City Department of Public Utilities; the name on your bill is the one to call.
| Item | Detail |
|---|---|
| Water system in EPA records | Salt Lake City Water System (UTAH18026) |
| Run by | Local government |
| People served | 383,612 through 94,977 service connections |
| Source of the water | Surface water (rivers, lakes or reservoirs) |
| Active facilities listed by EPA | 3 surface intakes, 13 active wells, 6 treatment points, 38 storage tanks and reservoirs, 31 pump facilities |
| Connections to other systems | 2 |
| State regulator | Utah Division of Drinking Water |
| Health-based violations since 2015 | 1 |
| Highest lead result (90th percentile) | 4.5 ppb, action level 15 ppb |
Source: EPA SDWIS (Safe Drinking Water Information System).
What feeds the taps in Salt Lake City
Salt Lake City drinks surface water. Salt Lake City Water System draws it from the Parleys - Mountain Dell Reservoir, the City Creek, and Big Cottonwood and treats it before it goes into the distribution system. Treatment points named in EPA's facility list include Big Cottonwood WTP, Parleys WTP, and City Creek WTP. After treatment the water is held in 38 storage tanks and reservoirs and pushed uphill by 31 pump facilities; that storage is the buffer that keeps taps running for a few hours after a pump or main fails.
What this means in an outage. Surface water needs a treatment plant running around the clock, so a plant shutdown, a raw-water pump failure or a long power cut at the plant can lower pressure across the whole service area, not just on one street. Boil water notices are more likely to be citywide after that kind of failure than after a single main break.
Why the water goes out in Salt Lake City
These are the causes that match the record for Salt Lake City, listed roughly in order of how much they matter here.
- Freezing weather. Salt Lake City sees about 146 days a year with a low at or below 32°F, and 53 days at or below 20°F. The coldest morning in the 2015 through 2025 record came on January 6, 2017. The longest stretch with highs that never rose above freezing ran 17 days, ending February 2, 2023. Frost pushes into shallow service lines first. Mains follow when the ground heaves and thaws, which is why break counts climb a day or two after the temperature swings.
- Older neighborhoods and pipe. 54.1% of occupied homes in Salt Lake City were built before 1970, against 35.5% nationally. Streets of that age tend to sit on cast iron and early steel mains that are near or past their design life, which is where most breaks start.
- Long dry spells. The longest stretch without measurable rain since 2015 lasted 37 days, ending September 30, 2018. Dry soil shrinks and shifts around buried pipe, and breaks often cluster when the rain returns and the ground swells again.
- Storm-driven power loss. Thunderstorm wind, hail and tornado reports in Salt Lake County number 205 since 2015. Pump stations and treatment plants that depend on Rocky Mountain Power run on the electric grid, so a storm that downs power lines can lower water pressure even when no pipe is damaged.
- Flooding and heavy rain. NOAA logged 19 flood, flash flood and heavy rain reports in Salt Lake County from 2015 through 2026. High water can wash out the ground under buried pipe, flood pump stations and push treatment plants past their limits, which is why boil notices so often follow a flood.
- Damage from other crews. Water mains share the ground with gas, power and telecom lines, and a strike by any contractor can dry up a block in seconds.
Freeze, heat and rain: the Salt Lake City weather record
Main break season in Salt Lake City runs from late fall into early spring, with the coldest stretch around December through February.
| Measure | Value |
|---|---|
| Days a year at or below 32°F | 146.3 |
| Days a year at or below 20°F | 53 |
| Days a year with a high at or below 32°F | 34.9 |
| Days a year at or above 95°F | 4.5 |
| Days a year at or above 100°F | 0 |
| Days a year with an inch of rain or more | 0 |
| Average annual precipitation | 19.9 in |
| Wettest year | 2019 (23.8 in) |
| Driest year | 2020 (11.6 in) |
| Coldest day in the record | January 6, 2017 |
| Hottest day in the record | September 6, 2022 |
Source: NASA POWER daily reanalysis (MERRA-2) for the city center, 2015–2025.
Freezing days peak in January, averaging 30.6 a year. Source: NASA POWER reanalysis, 2015–2025.
The wettest year was 2019 with 23.8 inches; the driest was 2020 with 11.6. Source: NASA POWER reanalysis, 2015–2025.
Because this is gridded reanalysis data, individual hot and cold days can read a few degrees off what the airport recorded. The day counts and yearly patterns are the useful part.
Is Salt Lake City water safe? Boil notices and EPA record
EPA lists 1 health-based violation for Salt Lake City Water System since 2015. It also lists 4 monitoring or reporting entries that are about paperwork rather than water quality, such as a missed sample or a late report.
Most recent health-based entries:
- September 2017: Not correcting a significant deficiency on time under the Ground Water Rule It is marked resolved.
| Type of violation | Health-based | Monitoring and other |
|---|---|---|
| Ground water rule | 1 | 3 |
| Coliform bacteria testing | 0 | 1 |
Source: EPA SDWIS.
Monitoring and other Health-based
Violations are counted by the year the compliance period began. Source: EPA SDWIS.
A boil water notice in Salt Lake City is a separate thing from a violation. Salt Lake City Department of Public Utilities issues one when pressure falls low enough for contamination to enter the pipes, after a main break is repaired, or when a routine test comes back positive. The Utah Division of Drinking Water oversees the process, and the notice stays until clean samples come back, usually a day or two after pressure returns.
Lead service lines and old plumbing in Salt Lake City
The most recent 90th-percentile lead result filed for Salt Lake City Water System is 2.5 ppb (2024). The federal action level is 15 ppb, so that result is well under it.
Highest result on file: 4.5 ppb. Source: EPA SDWIS.
The age of the housing matters more than the utility's test average: 54.1% of occupied homes in Salt Lake City predate 1970 and 1986 was the year lead pipe and solder were banned. Flush the cold tap after an outage and ask Salt Lake City Department of Public Utilities whether your service line is on its lead inventory.
Restoration times for water outages in Salt Lake City
A crew that arrives at an ordinary main break in Salt Lake City usually needs 4 to 8 hours to isolate the pipe, dig, repair, flush and restore pressure. Large transmission mains, deep pipes and breaks under busy streets can take a day or more. With 383,612 people on the system, a break on a main that feeds a whole district can leave thousands of homes dry at once, and crews may close valves several blocks away to isolate it.
| Situation | Typical time |
|---|---|
| Planned shutoff | Time window posted ahead; water often returns early |
| Ordinary main break | About 4 to 8 hours after the crew is on site |
| Large or deep main | A day or two, sometimes three |
| Low pressure after a pump or power failure | Hours to a day, once power or the pump is restored |
| Boil water notice after service returns | Until two clean rounds of samples, usually 1 to 2 days |
| Frozen service line or meter | Until it thaws or a plumber repairs it |
Source: Utility practice, EPA and state boil water guidance.
Salt Lake City Department of Public Utilities will post an estimated restoration time for a break that affects many customers; ask for the repair crew's estimate when you call.
How much water to keep on hand in Salt Lake City
Census figures put the typical Salt Lake City household at about 2.2 people. At one gallon per person per day that is 7 gallons for three days or 31 gallons for a two-week supply.
- 30.3% of homes are in buildings with 20 or more units. Upper floors lose pressure first, and rooftop tanks and booster pumps depend on building power.
- 54.2% of households rent. Tell your landlord or property manager about a leak or outage right away, since the shutoff valve may be theirs.
- A standard water heater is a ready-made 40-gallon reserve. Shut off its power or gas, open a hot tap somewhere in the house, and draw from the drain valve.
- Fill a tub or large containers early for toilets, cleaning and handwashing, and store drinking water separately in clean bottles.
How Salt Lake City compares with nearby water systems
| City | System | People served | Source | Health violations since 2015 | Highest lead (ppb) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Salt Lake City, UT | Salt Lake City Water System | 383,612 | Surface | 1 | 4.5 |
| West Jordan, UT | West Jordan City Water System | 117,025 | Bought (surface) | 1 | 4.1 |
| Orem, UT | Orem City Water System | 98,129 | Bought (surface) | 0 | 2.4 |
| Provo, UT | Provo City | 116,288 | Bought (surface) | 0 | 5.5 |
| Idaho Falls, ID | City of Idaho Falls | 69,450 | Ground | 0 | 5 |
Source: EPA SDWIS.
Water outage pages for nearby cities
Staying informed about water service in Salt Lake City
Sign up for alerts from Salt Lake City Department of Public Utilities and check its website or social accounts when the water goes off. If a boil advisory is issued, the water outage guide covers how to treat water and when it is safe again.
Salt Lake City water outage questions
Who do I call about no water in Salt Lake City?
Salt Lake City Department of Public Utilities at 801-483-6700, day or night. Use 911 only if a main break is flooding property or roads.
Is Salt Lake City water from a river, lake or well?
Per EPA, the water system for Salt Lake City (Salt Lake City Water System) is classed as surface water. It draws from the Parleys - Mountain Dell Reservoir, the City Creek, and Big Cottonwood.
Is the water in Salt Lake City safe?
EPA lists 1 health-based violation for Salt Lake City Water System since 2015, most recently not correcting a significant deficiency on time under the Ground Water Rule in September 2017, and its latest 90th-percentile lead result is 2.5 ppb against the 15 ppb action level. After a boil water notice, follow it until the utility lifts it.
What time of year are Salt Lake City water main breaks most common?
Cold weather drives most breaks in Salt Lake City, which averages about 146 freezing days a year. Expect the most calls from December through February, especially a day or two after a hard freeze when the ground thaws.
Why is my water pressure low in Salt Lake City?
Check whether neighbors have the same problem. If they do, it is probably a main break, a pump problem or evening demand, and Salt Lake City Department of Public Utilities should hear about it. If not, the cause is likely inside your own plumbing.
How long does a boil water notice last in Salt Lake City?
Usually 24 to 48 hours after pressure is restored. The utility has to collect samples, wait for the lab to confirm there is no bacteria, and then announce the all-clear. Salt Lake City Department of Public Utilities posts notices and lifts them; the Utah Division of Drinking Water oversees the process.
How much drinking water should I keep at home in Salt Lake City?
Store at least three days of water, and two weeks if you can. With about 2.2 people in a typical Salt Lake City home, that is roughly 7 and 31 gallons.
Does Salt Lake City have lead pipes?
54.1% of occupied homes in Salt Lake City were built before 1970, and lead service lines were not banned until 1986. Ask Salt Lake City Department of Public Utilities whether your service line is on its lead inventory, and use a filter certified for lead if you are unsure.
Is there a water outage map for Salt Lake City?
We do not run a pipe map. The report count at the top of this page shows what other people in Salt Lake City have reported in the last 24 hours. For the official picture, check Salt Lake City Department of Public Utilities for its outage page, alerts and social accounts.
Recent water reports in Salt Lake City
- Water reports in Salt Lake City, last 24h
- 0
- Most recent water report here
- 8 days ago
- Water reports across Utah, last 24h
- 0
- City population
- 200,133
Other outage types in Salt Lake City
- Power outages in Salt Lake City
- Natural gas outages in Salt Lake City
- Internet outages in Salt Lake City 1 report in 24h
Water Service Outages in cities near Salt Lake City
- West Valley City, UT 7 mi · Granger-Hunter Improvement District
- West Jordan, UT 11 mi · City of West Jordan Public Works
- Orem, UT 34 mi · City of Orem Water
- Provo, UT 38 mi · Provo City Water
- Idaho Falls, ID 187 mi · Idaho Falls Water Division
- Boise, ID 296 mi · Veolia Water Idaho
Report counts are user-submitted; other figures name their official source. How our data works
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