HOBACK, Wyo. — On Wednesday, Dec. 11, the Wyoming Department of Environmental Quality (WDEQ) released its final assessment report citing the main causes of elevated nitrate levels in the groundwater in the Hoback Junction area of Teton County.
According to the newly released WDEQ report, data showed that the major source of nitrates in the groundwater is due to the density of domestic septic systems in the area. Other more minor sources of nitrates were determined to be bedrock contribution, land runoff from livestock and fertilizer and precipitation, per the report.
After several residents complained of polluted drinking water, the WDEQ began its investigation into the source of the nitrates in the region on Feb. 10, 2020. Protect Our Water Jackson Hole (POWJH) and the Wyoming Outdoor Council (WOC) also submitted a complaint to the WDEQ alleging that there were unpermitted Underground Injection Control (UIC) commercial septic systems at two facilities located in Hoback Junction.
In response to WDEQ’s Hoback report, POWJH said in a statement that local drinking water wells “regularly exceed the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) maximum allowable nitrate concentration for human consumption.”
In its final report, WDEQ recommended the development of a new public water system (PWS) in the area, along with a corresponding source water protection plan to protect the water system. The WDEQ’s findings were based on the potential growth of the area, existing development density and the limited groundwater in the area.
In February 2023, the local community of Hoback Junction formed a water and sewer district (HJWSD) to pursue funding for studies related to the development of a PWS through the Wyoming Water Development Office (WWDO).
In September, the Teton County Board of County Commissioners gave the go ahead for formation of a Water Quality Advisory Board (WQAB) and Water Quality Technical Working Group to help implement water projects, including the Hoback water system, which is outlined in Teton County’s Water Quality Management Plan (WQMP). Teton County recently pledged $3 million in SPET funding towards the Hoback water system.
“The county has already allocated three million dollars, from a specific purpose excise tax, to build the water treatment system needed to serve the residents of Hoback Junction with clean water,” POWJH Executive Director Phil Powers said in a statement.
The construction of Hoback’s public drinking water system is scheduled to begin in 2025, according to Teton County. The HJWSD will then turn to its next task of creating a wastewater system to eliminate the use of septic systems in the Hoback area.
Analysis of soil, terrain and water usage can help determine whether a conventional septic tank or chamber system needs to be constructed, according to the report. The WDEQ wrote in its report that public outreach and information should be made available to the community regarding proper septic system operation and maintenance, including proper disposal of any Reverse Osmosis (RO)-system brines.
The final WDEQ report with the investigation’s findings and other related background information can be viewed here. For more information on the investigation process visit the WDEQ website.
