Now, if they could just agree on how much water they actually have.
Thursday's release of a draft plan by the Water Delivery Financing Task Force revealed a schism between the state's Division of Water Resources and some of the larger water districts over how much water is currently on hand, and what will be needed in the coming years to meet demand.
The heart of the dispute: State estimates show the Bear River project - not slated to be operational until 2030 - could be pushed back even further if current water conservation goals are surpassed. Utah has reduced its daily per capita water consumption by 17 percent since 1995. The division's goal is a 25 percent reduction by 2050.
"The issue comes down to five years of drought. The public has reacted positively to our conservation efforts," said Larry Anderson, the state's water resources director.
But David Ovard, director of the Jordan Valley Water Conservancy District, says the state numbers don't mesh with what his and other districts are experiencing on the ground.
The draft plan is "showing this as an average water supply, and I don't know if that makes any sense," he said. "What this is, is a drought water supply."
Added Tage Flint, Weber Basin Water Conservancy District director: "This paints a picture of water development for development's sake. But we see it differently as [water] deliverers. We believe there will be shortages. Why would we be doing this if we didn't?"
The task force, created by former Gov. Olene Walker a year ago, backs a proposal to build a 127-mile pipeline from Lake Powell to the new Sand Hollow Reservoir near St. George, with a possible 42-mile extension to Cedar City. It is expected to be operational by 2020.
It also has endorsed the Bear River project, which would include a new pipeline connecting the river and Willard Bay, conveyance and treatment facilities to deliver water to the Wasatch Front and the construction of a dam and reservoir in the Bear River Basin, probably at a site near the town of Portage.
The task force has proposed financing the projects by removing the 1/16th sales tax cap on the state's water loan funds, raising an additional $3 million to $5 million for what is now an ongoing $17.5 million fund.
That would allow the state to begin purchasing property, rights of way and easements needed for both projects - saving money over the long term. The task force has recommended the issuance of bonds for the construction phase.
Anderson stood by his division's water figures, noting that "nobody was short in the last four or five years. Local suppliers met local needs. . . . In a drought you expect to see some belt-tightening."
But Merritt Frey, director of the Utah Rivers Council, says the state estimates - which include a future boost from the Utah Lake System project - expose the Bear River project as a waste of money.
"These numbers make it really clear that this project is not about water supply. The water is there," she said.
jbaird@sltrib.com
