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Council sets priority order for north-watershed test wells, delays drilling until permits clear
Summary
Cedar City instructed staff to prioritize test well locations and to wait for permits before mobilizing, citing BLM and Esplán permitting timelines and concerns about arsenic at some sites.
Cedar City Council set an ordered plan for drilling test wells in the north watershed and directed staff to wait to mobilize until necessary permissions and permits are obtained.
Jonathan (city staff) and council members debated which of the candidate locations to test first. Multiple speakers expressed a preference to begin with the site listed as "number 1" on staff maps, then test site number 6 (on or near Esplán property) as the second priority. Council members said testing 2 or 3 next would likely repeat similar poor results if sites 5 or 6 proved poor, so the council chose 1, then 6, then 2 as the ordered plan. The motion that passed directs staff to proceed in that order and to wait to mobilize drilling crews until required approvals are in hand.
Staff warned that drilling on some parcels (BLM parcels and Esplán-owned sites) requires external approvals that could take six to eight weeks. Jonathan said the BLM indicated a six-to-eight-week timeline for approval; staff noted Esplán's board meets monthly and an appraisal is in progress for negotiation on sites 5 and 6. Council members emphasized that mobilizing before permits are cleared could risk the project and cost the city if work cannot proceed.
Council member motion summary: The council adopted a prioritized order for test wells: 1, then 6, then 2 (with contingency path to 4 if 6 proved unsuitable), and instructed staff to wait for all required permissions before mobilizing the drill.
Why it matters: The wells are part of a broader effort to secure more reliable water supplies for Cedar City. Council members cited previous site testing that showed water-quantity potential but varying water quality (notably arsenic) and discussed the trade-offs of drilling sooner versus securing all permits.
What’s next: Staff will pursue required BLM and other permissions, continue negotiations with Esplán, secure an appraisal, and schedule drilling when permits and mobilization windows align with contractor availability.
