Water Matters

About the Water Company | Water System, Sources, Etc | Water Pressure | Conserving Water

The purpose of this document is to update our customers about important Timber Lakes
water items. You can download it as a PDF or read on to find what you need to know about the water system, pressure, drought, and water conservation.

Who We Are

We are the Timber Lakes Water Special Service District (TLWSSD), also known as the Water Company. Our mission is to provide safe drinking water to our customers in Timber Lakes Estates. We comply with State and local regulations covering culinary water. We are an agency of Wasatch County but receive no County funding. Our operations and assets are all funded by the payments we receive from your monthly water bill and any special charges like meter installation, etc. Our operations are overseen by a board of directors appointed by the Wasatch County Council, comprised of Timber Lakes property owners and one member of the County Council.

Water Sources and Bacteria Sampling

We sample water according to a plan approved by the Utah Division of Drinking Water (UDDW). Generally, each set of monthly tests are taken from a sampling point from individual water sources. For example, the upper end of the Timber Lakes is supplied six springs (Lone Pine 1-6). The middle of the subdivision is supplied by Cove East and Cove West Springs. The lower part of the community is supplied by Look Out Mountain Spring. All nine springs are interconnected and can mix during heavy flows. Tests are taken throughout the three areas. We are required by the regulations to take one bacteria sample per month but take three to five monthly samples to help ensure water quality.

Water System Update

As you may recall, our water crew recently rebuilt Look Out Mountain Spring, the best producing source we have. Basically, everyone who lives below Aspen, including the West side, is supplied water from Lookout Mountain Spring. This spring was initially developed in the early 1980s and needed to be updated to current standards.

Water Taste Test

Before the redevelopment, flow from Look Out Mountain Spring averaged about 60-80 gallons per minute (gpm) and is now producing over 100 gpm. In March of 2021, water from the Lookout Mountain Spring water was entered in the annual competition at the Rural Water of Utah Convention. Our water took second place for best taste, smell, and clarity. As part of the spring update, the UDDW requires monthly samples of the spring for a full year after turning it into the water system. These samples are in addition to regular samples required by UDDW. If you are interested, required sampling scheduling
can be found at https://waterlink.utah.gov/deqWater/.

Drought Conditions

Utah is experiencing the worst drought we have faced in decades. At present, our water sources are supplying adequate water and our tanks overflow more often than not. As the drought continues, flow from our springs will diminish. More customers connecting to the system will tax our water sources as well. To be proactive, the Timber Lakes Water Board has authorized Franson Engineering to submit plans to the UDDW requesting approval to redevelop the Lone Pine Springs, the oldest spring in the system. This spring was developed in the early 1990s. Hopefully, we can capture more water for the system. As the drought continues the Water District is looking forward to developing and capturing as much water as possible. Hopefully, we will obtain authorization to develop several more springs.

Water Usage

In Timber Lakes, customers using over 10,000 gallons per year, use an average of 94 gallons per day (gpd), per household, excluding leaks. The UDDW requires us to have 400 gpd available for use. To date we have not had a problem providing water.

Pressure and Elevation

Elevations within the Timber Lakes subdivision range from 6500 feet above sea level to 8500 feet above sea level. Whenever possible, a water storage tank (reservoir) is located higher than the homes it is designed to serve so that the water can flow by gravity. Gravity-flow systems tend to be more reliable during fires or other emergencies that result in power outages because they do not require electrical pumps to operate. All areas in our system are supplied by gravity flow. When needed, pumps boost water to reservoirs. Normally, pumping is not necessary and only occurs at night when water use is lowest. Sometimes, due to a fire emergency or construction in the area, high demand slows refilling of the reservoirs, which can result in reduced water pressure.

Water Pressure

Water pressure is created by water forcing its way through the distribution system to your tap. Gravity is the most efficient way to bring water to your home.
Our service area is divided into sixteen “pressure zones” according to the elevation of your neighborhood. Although most household appliances are designed to work with water pressure between 25 and 120 pounds per square inch (psi), pressures in the Timber Lakes Water System can exceed 200 psi.
The water pressure at your home will depend on the elevation of your home, your proximity to the reservoir, and the pressure reducing valve (PRV) which serves your home. The closer you are to the elevation of the reservoir serving you, the lower your pressure will be. Similarly, the lower your home is in relation to the reservoir, the higher your water pressure. Correspondingly, the closer the elevation of your particular home to the lower side of the PRV serving your home, the lower your pressure will be. The closer the elevation of your home to the elevation of the upper side of the PRV, the higher your water pressure will be.

Pressure Regulators

Some areas may have high water pressure, which can cause household appliances to malfunction. In accordance with the TLWSSD Connection Agreement and local building codes, Timber Lakes homes need to have an installed PRV. This valve protects your home from high water pressure. Often, fire sprinklers require a separate pressure regulator, so homeowners need to ensure fire sprinkler systems
are also protected by a PRV.
State and local regulations require each Timber Lakes homeowner to have and maintain adequate PRVs. Each PRV must be tested by a state-certified inspector each year. We request you forward us copies of your annual certified test results so we can show compliance with the regulations.
The PRV is a bell-shaped device, typically installed on the inlet piping for your home. The manufacturer typically presets the regulators at about 50-60 psi. In most cases, they do not need to be adjusted. Incorrectly adjusting the regulator could cause water pressure that is either too low or too high. TLWSSD
cannot make repairs or adjust pressure regulators because they are considered part of a homeowner’s private water system. We recommend you have a qualified plumber make any necessary adjustments.

Remember, it is the responsibility of each homeowner to make sure that pressure regulators are installed and working correctly. The Water Company is only responsible from the main line to your water meter.

Conserving Water
The Timber Lakes Water Board of Directors offer the following suggestions to help conserve water:

  • Only run the washing machine and dishwasher with a full load
  • Regularly check toilets and water softener system systems for leaks, listen for leaks and make immediate repairs
  • Turn off the faucet while brushing your teeth
  • Turn off the water in the shower while soaping up
  • Do not use culinary water outside
  • Use a low flow shower head and faucet aerators [sold at most hardware or plumbing stores]
  • Install a dual flush or low flow toilet or install a conversion kit on your existing toilet
  • Catch your water when waiting for hot water to enter the line [use for indoor plants etc.]
  • Use a rain barrel to catch runoff water for any outside use (the State allows a residential homeowner to catch up to 2500 gallon of runoff per year — Rain barrels and the kits are sold at Tractor Supply, Amazon, Costco, and other places)
  • Monitor your water usage weekly or monthly [report any higher-than-normal use to the Water Company to determine any potential leaks]

Questions or Emergencies
If you have questions, please feel free to call our office at (435) 654-0125. If you have an after-hours emergency, call (435) 654-0125 for instructions on how to reach our on-call employee. If it is an emergency, please call us as soon as possible and do not wait until the next business day as our water is precious.

Thank you for conserving water.

The Timber Lakes Special Service Water District