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Utah House adopts amended water‑conservation plan rule, exempts very small suppliers from five‑year update
Summary
The Utah House passed a bill updating water conservation plan requirements for culinary water suppliers and adopted an amendment exempting providers with fewer than 500 service connections from the five‑year update requirement; the final House vote was 43–29.
SALT LAKE CITY — The Utah House of Representatives on Feb. 10 passed a bill that revises requirements for water conservation plans for providers of culinary water, adopting an amendment that exempts suppliers with fewer than 500 service connections from a mandatory five‑year update.
Representative Judy Ann Buckmeyer, sponsor of the first substitute to House Bill 153, told the chamber the measure is a follow‑up to last year’s law that required water suppliers to develop conservation plans. "This simply modifies ... every 5 years, there will be an update of the water plan," Buckmeyer said, describing the proposal as intended to make periodic updating routine and to ease compliance for small districts seeking loans.
Representative Hatch moved amendment number 2, dated 02/10/1999, which she said "exempts ... entities that supply culinary water to end users that has less than 500 service connections" from the five‑year renewal requirement. Hatch argued the amendment protected very small systems and operators with limited administrative capacity.
Buckmeyer opposed the amendment’s breadth, saying she had distributed charts showing the statewide counts and population affected and that the amendment would remove small systems from even minimal conservation review. "I would prefer no amendment," Buckmeyer said, but she acknowledged the will of the body.
After debate the House adopted amendment #2 by voice and then heard a summation from Representative Pfaffmeyer, who urged members to support the bill and the state's conservation goals. Before the final vote several representatives declared conflicts of interest, citing operation or leadership roles in local water companies or service on the Water Conservation Board; Representative Tyler stated he "operate[s] a small water company," and Representative Brown said he is "president of the water company." Other members who declared conflicts included Representatives Brad Johnson, Iverson and Hansen.
The House recorded a final vote of 43 yes and 29 no on House Bill 153; the bill passed the House and was referred to the Senate for further action.
The House also earlier had "circled" the bill (postponed consideration) to allow time for distribution of amendments, then later "uncircled" it so floor debate and amendment votes could proceed.
