The beginning of the Jordan River along the north shore of Utah Lake is pictured on Monday, September 16, 2024. The Utah Division of Natural Resources recently announced a donation of 10,000 acre-feet of water to the Great Salt Lake, supplied by the Jordan River. River. (Kyle Dunphey/Utah news report.)
By the year 2060, Utah will need nearly $60 billion in water infrastructure, including improvements to drinking water, water quality and irrigation.
That’s according to a report from the Utah Division of Water Resources, which was presented to lawmakers last week by Director Candice Hasenyager during a meeting of the Legislative Water Development Commission.
According to Hasenyager’s report, the state will need about $38.2 billion for drinking water in 2060, $15 billion for water quality and $6 billion for irrigation and canal projects.
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“As we look into the future, we have significant water needs,” Hasenyager told lawmakers at the meeting, calling it a “big, big number.”
Hasenyager pointed out a Report 2020 from the American Society of Civil Engineers, which found that much of the state’s water infrastructure needs updating. Utah’s canals got a D+, its dams got a C+, its drinking water infrastructure got a B- and its levees got a D-.
These areas will all need funding for upgrades in the coming decades, Hasenyager said.
“We all know there is a need for it, and these projects are not getting any cheaper. So the sooner we get them done, the better,” Sen. David Hinkins, R-Ferron, said at the meeting.
Funding for water infrastructure comes from several sources: Local water suppliers and water districts can help shoulder the burden for local projects, funded by user fees and property taxes. The state takes 1/16 of every cent to fund various water programs, and another 1/16 for the Water Infrastructure Restricted Account, which had a balance of about $241 million as of 2024.
The state offers grants and credits for water projects, and while Hasenyager said federal funds are dwindling, they are still used for infrastructure in Utah.
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