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Candidate Tom West Morland urges nature-based steps to restore Utah Lake
Summary
In a Utah County Republican Party podcast, Tom West Morland said he would prioritize incremental, nature-based cleanup of Utah Lake — including constructed marshes and improved wastewater routing — as a more attainable path than billion‑dollar engineering projects.
Tom West Morland, a candidate for the Utah County Commission, told a Utah County Republican Party podcast that restoring Utah Lake should focus first on lower‑cost, nature‑based solutions rather than immediate large‑scale engineering projects.
"One of the advantages of living in areas like Tahoe and Las Vegas is that they run gray water through a marsh," West Morland said. "You can measure the quality of the water going into the marsh and you can measure it coming out, and it's virtually drinkable coming out of the marsh. Nature does all the work." He added that planting reeds and marsh plants around the lake and improving the quality of inflows could reduce algae and odors that now put off residents.
West Morland framed his approach as incremental and community‑driven: pilot constructed wetlands, partner with local universities and schools for monitoring and stewardship, and prioritize actions that reduce nutrient inputs from sewer outflows. "If we stop polluting it from this time forward... we start planting those marshes," he said, arguing that such steps are a fraction of the cost of major engineered alternatives.
The candidate acknowledged constraints: existing pollution levels and costs will require time and staged investments. He also raised implementation questions — carp, invasive phragmites and lake depth — that would need targeted interventions alongside plant‑based remediation.
Why it matters: Utah Lake is a visible local environmental issue that affects recreation, tourism and quality of life across the county. West Morland’s proposal emphasizes lower‑cost, nature‑based remediation and greater community engagement as initial steps, not an immediate full cleanup.
Next steps: West Morland said he would pursue pilot projects and partnerships to test marsh‑based treatment approaches and would look to secure funding that minimizes the burden on residents. He suggested school and university involvement as both an educational and monitoring resource.
