From turf removal to secondary metering: Legislature invests nearly $500 million in water conservation

ST. GEORGE — With a rather dismal outlook for Utah’s water supply continuing into 2022, state lawmakers put nearly $500 million toward water conservation measures of various types during the recent legislative session.

This includes efforts to meter secondary water sources and incentivize turf removal to drinking quality water development projects.

Irrigation water being used in Washington City, Utah, July 2, 2021 | Photo by Mori Kessler, St. George News

“Utah’s population and economy are exploding but our water supply is dwindling,” Brian Steed, executive director of the Utah Department of Natural Resources, said in a press release from the Washington County Water Conservancy District. “We have to protect, conserve and develop our water. Doing nothing and running out of water isn’t an option.”

The bills are designed to help bolster water levels in reservoirs throughout the state by reducing demand via grass rebate programs, additional metering of secondary water and watershed enhancement efforts. Statewide water storage is currently below 55% of capacity, according to the Utah Division of Water Resources.

House Bill 121 imposes water conservation requirements on state-owned facilities. It also incentives property owners to replace their non-functional grass with more water-efficient landscaping.

“We’re pretty excited about it,” said Karry Rathje, the communications and government affairs specialist for the Washington County Water Conservancy District.

Stock image by Mori Kessler, St. George News

However, while the bill passed, its implementation is still being worked out, she said, and won’t be fully rolled out until 2023.

It is anticipated that money for the turf-removal incentives – up to $5 million annually – will come from the state’s general fund and be administered through the Division of Water Resources. From there it would be granted to applying property owners through local water districts.

It is estimated that 60% of Utah’s drinking-quality water is used for outdoor watering. Removal of non-functional turf can help decrease that amount and save water overall. Further replacing turf with a more water-efficient landscape also can save on outdoor water use by up to 70%.

“This unprecedented investment in water conservation by our state leaders is music to our ears,” said Zach Renstrom, general manager of Washington County Water Conservancy District. “The water conservancy districts have made great strides in reducing water use throughout the state, but the recent legislation will elevate our efforts.”

Virgin River flows through the north side of Confluence Park in Hurricane, Utah, Dec. 19, 2019 | Photo by Aspen Stoddard, St. George News

The state is also investing $251 million into secondary water metering. Use of secondary water, or irrigation-quality water, has not been widely metered (measured) across the state. Where it has, such as in parts of northern Utah like the Weber Water Basin Conservancy District, a 20%-30% reduction in outdoor watering has been tracked over the last 20 years.

“If we know how much water is there, we can plan better,” said Rathje, adding that while the metering issue largely applies to northern Utah, it “is huge for the state of Utah as a whole.”

Under recently passed legislation, metering secondary water systems now is required under state law. There are exceptions, however. This includes water with levels of turbidity that can actually prove harmful to metering equipment.

Secondary water in Washington County is not among the best quality south of the Pah Tempe hot spring due to the large number of minerals that spring dumps into the Virgin River, Rathje said.

At Quail Creek Reservoir, Hurricane, Utah, May 1, 2019 | Photo Mori Kessler, St. George News

“Turbidity in Washington County has been hard on meters,” she said.

Despite this, efforts are underway in Washington County by various municipalities to better harness and measure their own secondary water use. This includes additional water storage projects being eyed in the Santa Clara area.

According to a press release from Prepare60 (which is made up of Central Utah, Weber Basin, Jordan Valley, and Washington County water districts), outside of the Legislature, Utah’s water conservancy districts have spent $355-plus million on conservation programs. This has resulted in more than a 20% reduction in the state’s per capita water use since 2000, despite an almost 58% increase in population.


Following is a list of 2022 water conservation and appropriation-related bills compiled by Propare60:

Water Conservation Bills

HB 33 Instream Water Flow Amendments
HB 37 State Water Policy Amendments
HB 39 State Construction Code Amendments
HB 121 Water Conservation Modifications
HB 131 Watershed Restoration Initiative
HB 157 Sovereign Lands Revenue Amendments
HB 160 State Resource Management Plan Amendments
HB 168 Preference of Water Right Amendment
HB 177 Water Well Amendments
HB 232 Utah Lake Authority
HB 240 Utah Lake Amendments
HB 242 Secondary Water Metering Amendments
HB 282 Water Use Landscaping Amendments
HB 410 Great Salt Lake Watershed Enhancement
HB 423 Department of Agriculture and Food Amendments
HB 429 Great Salt Lake Amendments
SB 89 Water Amendments
SB 110 Water As A Part of General Plan

Additional Appropriations Related to Water Conservation

HB 157 Great Salt Lake Account – Watershed
HB 2 Great Salt Lake and Utah Lake Studies
HB 2/SB 3 Agricultural Water Optimization
SB 3 ARPA Rural Drinking Water Projects
SB 3 Utah Lake Preservation
HB2 Groundwater and Wetlands Management
HB3-ARPA Water Development Security Fund

Check out all of St. George News’ coverage of the 2022 Utah Legislature here.

For a complete list of contacts for Southern Utah representatives and senators, click here.

Copyright St. George News, SaintGeorgeUtah.com LLC, 2022, all rights reserved.

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