Board briefed on $1.39 billion Washington County water reuse plan; staff recommends up to $195 million authorization

Tom Cox, a staff presenter, told the Utah Board of Water Resources at its briefing meeting that the Washington County Water Conservancy District is proposing a multi‑phase water reuse program with an overall cost estimate of about $1,390,000,000.

The plan pairs reuse of treated wastewater for irrigation with improved drinking water supplies by exchanging lower‑quality sources and treated reuse water. Cox said phase 1 would include roughly 60 miles of pipeline, three reservoirs and other storage, and improvements to existing reclamation facilities; phase 2 would add an advanced water purification plant (21 million gallons per day), Warner Valley reservoir (up to 55,000 acre‑feet) and additional pipelines. Cox said construction has already begun on some elements and other components would be built as demand…