I was excited to move to Wilson in 2000 and to make my home in Jackson Hole, a stunning area of national parks and forests. I felt fortunate to be able to live and raise my kids in such a pristine valley. However, my initial belief that the water from my faucet was healthy to drink was wrong.
Most of us living in Jackson Hole assume our water is safe to use and drink. This assumption, unfortunately, is not valid. Sadly, much of our water is contaminated and unsafe to drink. Teton County has over 2000 unregulated septic systems, most of which do not adequately protect our groundwater. Despite 113 public water systems in Teton County, the water from our taps is often unsafe to consume or bathe. Over half of our public water systems have received violations in the past three years.
As a member of the POWJH board, I am committed to bringing about change. I believe in our collective power to work with the Town of Jackson and Teton County to ensure our drinking water is safe. We can collaborate with federal, state, and local authorities to protect the Snake River’s headwaters, our sole drinking water source currently containing excessive amounts of E.coli, nitrogen, and phosphorus.
We can raise awareness and mobilize the community to address our contaminated, unhealthy water issue. Water, our most vital resource, must be protected. Jackson Hole is a beautiful place to live; we all deserve clean and safe water. Clean water is a critical issue that demands our immediate attention.