Utah faces a daunting challenge: how do we provide water for a rapidly growing population while maintaining strong farms and a healthy environment?

 

Utah has the distinction of being both one of the driest states in the nation and one of the fastest growing. In 2013, Governor Gary Herbert asked the State Water Strategy Advisory Team to make recommendations for a 50-year state water strategy. This effort was catalyzed by the Your Utah, Your Future vision, where more than 52,000 Utahns weighed in on their priorities for topics important the future of Utah, including water.

Envision Utah facilitated the advisory team, comprised of water experts from varying leadership positions around the state (click here to view the full list). The advisory team put in countless hours of research, intense discussion, and listening to the public to write the water strategy recommendations.

The advisory team organized their recommendations around the 11 key policy questions listed below. Each question is answered with several strategies. You can view those strategies by clicking on the document to the right.

  1. What is the role of water conservation and efficiency in Utah?

  2. How will diverted water supplies be developed to meet competing and ever increasing demands?

  3. How will diverted water supplies be developed to meet competing and ever increasing demands?

  4. How does Utah provide water for agricultural lands and food production in the face of competing water demands?

  5. What should we do to preserve natural systems in the face of increasing water demands?

  6. How do we protect and sustain the quality of Utah’s water?

  7. How will Utah plan for, adequately fund, and use innovative solutions to maintain, replace, and redesign existing water infrastructure and build new water infrastructure over the next 40-50 years?

  8. In what ways will weather and a changing climate impact future water supply and demand?

  9. How do we optimize our water resources to sustain the economy and quality of life for Utah residents?

  10. What is the framework for Utah water law and policy, and how will stakeholders modernize it?

  11. What is the role of policymakers, both elected and appointed, at all levels of government?

  12. What roles will science, technology, and innovation play in addressing Utah's future water needs?