Council weighs joining NEBO regional water project as costly option to secure future culinary supply
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Summary
Councilors heard that Juab County could receive roughly 7,000–10,000 acre‑feet from the NEBO/CUP project (Strawberry Reservoir source) but at a high price ($20,000–$40,000 per acre‑foot quoted); the district would phase participation and could deliver raw or treated water with a target of about 2032, and Mona staff requested a Central Utah Water Conservancy District presentation to clarify terms.
The Mona City Council discussed the NEBO Regional Water conditional use permit (CUP) and whether Mona should participate in the regional cooperative to access Strawberry Reservoir water.
Speaker 4 summarized the CUP history: the project began in 1964 and Central Utah Water Conservancy District previously committed 10,000 acre‑feet to Juab County but recent projections suggest a lower availability (around 7,000–8,000 acre‑feet). Councilors were told the project water is "strawberry" water from Strawberry Reservoir and, because it has no return‑flow obligation, it may be reusable for multiple purposes if the county participates and negotiates how to apply it locally.
Cost emerged as a central concern. Council members were given a working range of $20,000–$40,000 per acre‑foot in perpetuity as the district’s current estimate; Speaker 4 illustrated that when spread across 50 years and per dwelling (assuming 0.45 acre‑feet per home), that could translate into an example municipal cost of roughly $67 per home annually (a council calculation presented as illustrative). Members questioned affordability, which entities would bear the cost, whether the water would be delivered raw or treated for culinary use, and which neighboring jurisdictions (Nephi, Saratoga Springs) might claim the supply if Mona declines.
Councilors asked staff to invite Roger Pearson of the Central Utah Water Conservancy District to present a full map and detailed terms. Staff said the district has discussed phasing participation and potentially building a treatment plant that could serve both Nephi and Mona, and warned that discussions are advancing toward a cooperative agreement that may require a timely stance from Juab County municipalities.
A number of councilors said Mona must balance preserving local quality of life against accepting fast growth that such a supply could enable; members emphasized they would try to constrain any participation so the water’s use fits the city’s long‑term development goals rather than automatically enabling high‑density housing or data centers.