Welcome to Escalante City, a small ranching town nestled along Utah's Scenic Byway 12. With only 850 residents, we are still the largest town for 70 miles in all directions. We pride ourselves on bringing a unique charm to our corner of Southern Utah.
Here on our official website you will find information about our town and our history. You will also find city resources and services for our residents in addition to information about our local government and opportunities for travelers. We hope you are able to find what you are looking for. Thank you for visiting.
DRINKING WATER CONCERN RESOLVED
ESCALANTE CITY
BOIL ORDER LIFTED
Escalante City is pleased to announce that the boil water order issued on August 30, 2025, has been officially lifted. Following the landslide that filled the spring collection boxes with mud, residents were required to boil their water to ensure safety. City staff, working closely with the Utah Department of Environmental Quality Drinking Water and other agencies, have completed system flushing, testing, and inspections to confirm the water now meets all state and federal safety standards.
Contact information here
Please share this information with all the other people who drink this water, especially those who may not have received this notice directly. You can do this by posting this notice in a public place or distributing copies by hand or mail.
Flush household pipes/faucets first.
To flush your plumbing, run all your cold water faucets on full for at least 5 minutes each.
For a residence with multiple levels, start at the top of the house.
If your service connection is long or complex (like in an apartment building) consider flushing for a longer period. Your building superintendent or landlord should be able to advise you on longer flushing times.
If the water is discolored, continue to run it from the tap until it is clear.
Ice and automatic ice makers:
Wash and sanitize ice trays.
For an icemaker, dump existing ice and flush the water feed lines by making and discarding at least three batches of ice cubes.
Wipe down the ice bin with a disinfectant.
Hot water heaters, water coolers, in line filters, and other appliances with a water connection or water tanks (such as kitchen appliances, humidifiers, swamp coolers):
Run enough water to completely replace at least one full volume of all lines and tanks.
Follow any other instructions from the appliance manufacturer.
Water softeners:
Run through a regeneration cycle.
Follow any other instructions from the appliance manufacturer.
Reverse Osmosis (RO) units: Replace pre-filters, check owner's manual.
Replace other water filters (fridge filters etc.), as they are disposable and may be contaminated. This applies especially to carbon filters and others that are near the end of their life.
Other:
Clean and sanitize all pet bowls.
This notice is being sent to you by Escalante City Water System ID#: UTAH09004
Date distributed: September 5, 2025
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
September 3, 2025Escalante City Declares State of Emergency for Water System Following Landslide
Escalante City has declared a State of Emergency for its municipal water system after a landslide on the morning of August 30, 2025 caused mud to fill the spring collection boxes that supply the City’s culinary water.
As a result, the water is not currently safe to drink without boiling. A boil water order is in effect until further notice. Residents are asked to bring all drinking and cooking water to a rolling boil for at least one minute before use.
City staff responded immediately to the incident, notifying the Utah Department of Environmental Quality Drinking Water at approximately 10:30 a.m. on August 30. By 1:30 p.m. that same day, all customers had been notified through multiple methods, including hand-delivered notices, an I-PAWS was issued by the Garfield County Sheriff’s Office, and a reverse 911 call.
Our top priority is keeping the public safe. We are working closely with state and county officials to restore clean drinking water as quickly as possible. We ask for the community’s patience as our crews continue to clean and repair the spring system.
The State of Emergency allows the City to access additional resources and coordinate with state and federal partners to address the problem. The declaration will remain in effect until the water system is restored and the boil order is lifted by the proper authorities.
Escalante City will continue to provide updates through official City channels. Residents with questions may contact Escalante City Hall at 435-826-4644 or visit www.ecalanteutah.gov.
Escalante City continues to work diligently to identify, address, and resolve the incident in order to restore safe drinking water to its residents and businesses.
Escalante City - Bottled Water Available
Escalante City has bottled water available for residents and visitors who need it. We want to ensure that everyone has access to clean drinking water during this time.
Please be considerate: If you have access to safe drinking water at home, we kindly ask that you leave the bottled water for those who truly need it. This helps us make sure our supply reaches everyone who requires assistance.
If you need bottled water Come to the City Office to pick some up or if you have questions about availability and distribution, please call the City Cell Phone 435-690-0117 for more information.
Thank you for your cooperation and for looking out for your neighbors.DRINKING WATER ORDER
Escalante City Water System Utah09004
BOIL YOUR WATER BEFORE USING
What happened?
● Escalante City Water System # 09004
On August 30, 2025 Escalante City water system received a call about muddy water in the
system. This was confirmed by staff but no sampling has been done at this time.
What is being done?
Escalante City Staff is investigating and resolving the issue. The Spring line has been turned out
so please conserve water at this time. Sampling will be done as soon as possible.
What should the consumer do?
● DO NOT DRINK THE WATER WITHOUT BOILING IT FIRST. Bring all water to a boil,
let it boil for one minute, and let it cool before using, or use bottled water. Boiled or
bottled water should be used for drinking, making ice, brushing teeth, washing dishes,
and food preparation until further notice. Boiling kills bacteria and other organisms in
the water.
● E. coli are bacteria whose presence indicates that the water may be contaminated with
human or animal wastes. Microbes in these wastes can cause diarrhea, cramps,
nausea, headaches, or other symptoms. They may pose a special health risk for infants,
young children, some of the elderly and people with severely compromised immune
systems.
● The symptoms above are not caused only by organisms in drinking water. If you
experience any of these symptoms and they persist, you may want to seek medical
advice. People at increased risk should seek advice about drinking water from their
health care providers.
For more information, please contact Stephanie Steed at 435-690-0117, or go to the City
Website for updates www.escalanteutah.gov.
General guidelines on ways to lessen the risk of infection by microbes are available from the
EPA Safe Drinking Water Hotline at 1(800) 426-4791 Division website: drinkingwater.utah.gov.
Please share this information with all the other people who drink this water, especially those
who may not have received this notice directly (for example, people in apartments, nursing
homes, schools, and businesses). You can do this by posting this notice in a public place or
distributing copies by hand or mail.
This notice is being sent to you by Escalante City. Water System ID#: UTAH 09004. Date
distributed: 08/30/2025
Job Announcement
Public Works Employee
NOTICE TO AIRPORT CONSULTANTS
Escalante City, Escalante, Utah is soliciting statements of Qualifications and Experience from consulting firms to provide professional airport planning services and Professional engineering services for the Escalante Municipal Airport.
A complete copy of the request for Statements of Qualifications and Experience may be obtained from the office of Stephanie Steed, City Recorder, 56 N 100 W Escalante, UT 84726, 435-826-4644, ssteed@escalanteutah.gov.
DBE firms are encouraged to apply. All proposals received will be evaluated based on FAA advisory Circular 150/5100-14D and on compliance with the request.
Interested consultants are to submit six (6) complete copies of the Statements of Qualifications and Experience by 4:00 p.m. Local Time on August 4, 2025 to the above address.
Published in the Wayne and Garfield County Insider on
July 17, July 24 and July 31, 2025
ELECTION
ELECTION NOTICE
