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East Juab water project could deliver 10,000 acre-feet; timeline shortened to about 2032, council told
Summary
East Juab water officials reported on a regional proposal that could deliver up to 10,000 acre-feet to Juab County communities. The regional project is roughly scoped at $2 billion and is in environmental review; the council was told allocation and raw vs. finished-water decisions are pending.
Jonathan Jones briefed Mona City Council on ongoing irrigation and regional-water planning and said consultants and water-district leaders are still refining key details.
Jones said Sunrise (the irrigation consultant) is about 50% through the city’s irrigation study and is reviewing current sources, capacities and options for expansion. He said the Nivo Regional Water Project — which Jones described as a multi-jurisdictional regional proposal — is currently scoped at roughly $2 billion and could deliver up to 10,000 acre-feet to participating areas, but that the figure is not yet final.
Why it matters: a regional water delivery of that scale would change local water-supply options for industry and residential growth, but it also carries major cost implications. Jones told the council the expected price would make raw water impractical for agriculture at those rates and that finished water is the district’s likely preference unless members choose otherwise.
Key details and next steps • Sunrise irrigation study: Jones said Sunrise is at about the 50% mark and that city staff expect more complete information in a few weeks. • Nivo Regional Water Project scope: Jones said the regional project is currently scoped at about $2,000,000,000 and could deliver up to 10,000 acre-feet, but the allocation among Nephi, Mona, Rocky Ridge and Juab County is not yet decided. • Raw vs. finished water: Central Utah Water representative Roger Pearson is scheduled to discuss options with the East Juab board; Jones said the district leans toward finished water unless there is a compelling case for raw water. • Timeline: Jones said project leaders have fast-tracked earlier estimates and are now discussing a possible 2032 in-service date, earlier than previously discussed 2035–2040 timelines. • Environmental review: Jones said the project remains in environmental review for at least another year; final decisions on allocation and participation are still to come.
Jones said there is a lineup of potential buyers if any participating municipality declines water, and he emphasized the need for city leaders to consider allocation methods (population-based prorating was suggested as one option). He framed the project as a significant but expensive source that could enable industrial or commercial growth if Mona and neighboring jurisdictions choose to participate.
