ST. GEORGE — Board members, staff, Iron County Commissioner Paul Cozzens and Cedar City Mayor Garth Green traveled to Colorado last month to tour a vital water distribution operation.
According to a news release from the Central Iron County Water Conservancy District, the group learned about the Southern Delivery System, a project which was the largest of its kind in Colorado that can deliver 96 million gallons of water per day. Water moves through a 50-mile pipeline from Pueblo Reservoir to Colorado Springs and was completed in 2016.
The group also learned about the Willamette Water Supply Program currently under construction in Oregon. It spans 36 miles and will supply water to three communities in that area, the news release said. Both projects were designed to provide a cost-effective, reliable and resilient water supply that will benefit current and future generations for years to come. They will also help serve and support vibrant local economies.
“It was very informative to learn more about projects that are so similar to the Pine Valley Water Supply Project,” said District General Manager Paul Monroe. “Moving water from new sources to communities has happened for thousands of years and is currently being implemented all around us. This is not a new concept, especially here in the West.”
The mission of the Central Iron County Water Conservancy District is to ensure the Cedar Valley has a secure water future, the news release said, and its Board of Directors and staff are continually looking at projections for the valley 50 years into the future.
With a goal to optimize every drop of water that comes into the valley, the District works on projects to conserve, recharge, reuse and source water. It is committed to improving the health of the Cedar Valley aquifer and providing water to residents, businesses and communities in the area, according to the news release.
With that in mind, the District is working to make the Pine Valley Water Supply Project a reality.
The proposed Pine Valley Water Supply Project in southern Utah would deliver water from Pine Valley, northwest of Cedar City, about 66 miles to the Cedar Valley. This project will provide a redundant and secure water source, help restore Cedar Valley aquifer levels, provide safe and reliable drinking water and ensure water for current and future generations.
“The process has been a long one, and there is much more to do,” District Board Member and Enoch City Councilman David Harris said in the news release. “However, we are embracing that process, as this project is important for our valley, and the process ensures it is done fairly, feasibly, sustainably and correctly.”
The Pine Valley Water Supply Project will help provide water for Cedar Valley’s future. With drought, population growth and a state-imposed Groundwater Management Plan that will reduce usable water rights, an additional source is needed. Conservation, reuse and recharge projects are crucial as well and continue to be pursued and implemented in addition to the proposed import project, the news release said.