Lawmaker says bill will bring clean water to Ephraim and Centerville, urges action on Great Salt Lake

A lawmaker told a committee that "Utah is in a record drought," and that water remains the top issue he hears from residents. "Everywhere I go, it's water, water, water, water," the lawmaker said, stressing urgency for state and federal action.

He said he was "very pleased, particularly for the communities of Ephraim and Centerville," that the bill under consideration would enable those cities to bring clean water to residents who otherwise would not be able to do so without the legislation. The lawmaker thanked "the committee, the staff, the ranking member, and yourself" for helping make the measure possible.

The lawmaker flagged the Great Salt Lake as an "impending" and multi-faceted environmental concern, saying he looks "forward to further discussions with this committee and other members to see how we can save a very, very important asset in the West." He described the lake's condition as an environmental and standard-of-living issue and urged cross-jurisdictional attention.

Noting collaborative efforts, the lawmaker said philanthropic organizations, local communities and state government are already "leaning into this," and expressed gratitude that the federal government is "willing to lean in as well." The remarks in the transcript did not specify funding amounts, implementation details, or a timeline for any federal action.

The lawmaker concluded his remarks with, "With that, I yield. Thank you." The provided transcript contains no record of a vote or formal procedural action on the bill within the included segments.

Sources: remarks in the provided transcript attributed to the lawmaker (see provenance).