Manti Council weighs 2026 outdoor-watering restrictions as drought intensifies

City Manager Jason Brown presented draft outdoor-watering guidance for 2026 on March 4, saying the city sits "in one of the worst areas for the state" on recent drought maps and outlining 17 proposed limits, including no daytime watering, longer grass allowances and garden-size considerations.

The guidance is designed to protect critical and sentimental facilities — Brown singled out the cemetery and the revenue-generating ballfield — while conserving the municipal supply. Brown said staff prefer an initial conversation with residents for minor breaches rather than immediate punitive fines, reserving fines for major or repeated noncompliance.

Mayor Mary Wintch added context from recent utility meetings in Washington, D.C., raising concerns about broader hydropower issues and saying the experiments that bypassed turbines had cost ratepayers "$25 million to bypass the turbines for conservation efforts." Councilmembers and staff discussed the long-term trade-offs between secondary water and culinary water use if shortages persist.

Administration also described system upgrades tied to water reliability: the council heard that the new SCADA control system will manage the water treatment plant, sewer and electrical systems, and Manager Brown noted multiple staff members completed certification training at a recent Rural Water Conference.

The council did not adopt final restrictions at the meeting; staff said they will refine proposed rules and consider enforcement options before returning to a future agenda. The council’s next regular meeting is scheduled for April 1, 2026.