Central Utah presents NEBO regional water plan, estimates $1.6 billion cost and 2032 delivery goal

Representatives from Central Utah provided the Santaquin City Council an overview of the NEBO Regional Water Project, describing how water developed at Strawberry Reservoir will be routed through a new ULS (Upper Lake/SV) pipeline and a High Line Canal enclosure to supply municipalities in south Utah Valley.

The presentation, delivered primarily by Roger Pearson, outlined three major components: enclosure and piping of the century‑old High Line Canal, construction of a surface water treatment plant (proposed near Salem) to produce finished drinking water, and conversion of the ULS raw‑water pipe under construction to carry finished water in addition to a parallel raw‑water feed. Pearson said the district hopes the contractor will finish the San Joaquin reach of the ULS pipe “this year … maybe even in time to pressure test it, before before the end of the irrigation season.”

Why it matters: Council members were briefed on how the project aims to reduce water‑quality problems tied to wildfire‑related sediment in the Spanish Fork River, capture water lost to seepage from the open High Line Canal, and create a pressurized finished‑water supply to serve growth in south Utah Valley and parts of Juab County. Pearson said the project would help “diversify that portfolio and provide some resiliency and redundancy” to groundwater supplies relied on locally.

Key details - Capacity and sources: Central Utah said contract deliveries from Strawberry Reservoir total about 162,000 acre‑feet per year; roughly 23,000 acre‑feet are proposed to travel through the new 60‑inch ULS pipe to the south end. The High Line Canal carries about 35,000–40,000 acre‑feet, the presenter said. - Treatment and conveyance: The plan adds a new 60‑inch connection to the High Line Canal enclosure, builds a large surface water treatment plant (Salem), and routes finished water along the existing ULS alignment to supply Mona, Nephi and Goshen by pump and finished‑water tanks/pumping facilities. - Cost and schedule: The district provided a Class 4 cost estimate with a wide contingency of +50/−30 percent and said the capital cost estimate is about $1,600,000,000. The district expects to complete its environmental review (EIS) and seek a record of decision in January 2027, continue design through 2027–2028 and begin construction with a delivery target for raw and finished water around 2032. - Funding: The district said capital recovery will come from water sales and anticipated federal funding (referred to during the presentation as project completion funds). The presenters also stated that, historically, the district has used tax revenue (property tax within district boundaries) as a major funding component for regional treatment plants.

Questions and local concerns Council members asked about routing through or near developing neighborhoods, timing and which pipes would remain raw vs. finished water. Pearson emphasized the concept‑level nature of current designs and said lines on maps are approximate; he noted that the project will follow NEPA processes for federal facilities and that final alignments will be adjusted during design.

Bart Lee Flynn, introduced during the presentation as an assistant general manager, clarified that current contracts for raw water deliveries would not be canceled; municipalities could continue to receive contracted raw water, and would have the option to pay a treatment charge if they elect to take finished water from the new treatment plant.

Direct quotes - “They’re hoping this year they’ll be done with all of that pipe, have it in the ground, maybe even in time to pressure test it, before before the end of the irrigation season,” Roger Pearson said. - “When we’ve constructed water treatment plants, we have historically used tax revenue as a a major element of that,” said Bart Lee Flynn, describing how district financing has worked on earlier projects.

Decisions and next steps This meeting was a project update; the council did not take formal action on the NEBO project. Central Utah said it will begin the draft EIS and hold public meetings as part of the NEPA process, and invited municipal participation in design discussions and future public outreach.

Background Pearson traced the water development to the Strawberry Valley project and the later Central Utah Project, describing historical tunnels and the Strawberry and Soldier Creek enlargements that underpin deliveries to the High Line division and southern Utah Valley communities.

The district said it is moving forward with pilot testing of treated source water, a design contract for the treatment plant, and that the overall financial model and design refinements will continue over the next several years.