Weber Basin warns of sustained drought, outlines replacement‑water fees and modest property‑tax increase

Scott Paxman, general manager of the Weber Basin Water Conservancy District, told the Morgan County Commission the district is operating in a prolonged drought and urged local officials to plan for reduced supplies.

"We serve about 725,000 people in those counties," Paxman said, describing the district's service area and infrastructure. He said the district administers roughly 30,000 replacement‑water contracts and outlined the costs for a typical 0.665 acre‑foot contract: a roughly $9,750 impact fee, about $374 in annual water charges, and a $480 meter connection and inspection fee.

The district presented data showing multiple reservoirs and snowpack metrics below average for recent years and warned that total storage in an average year typically provides only a two‑year supply in district facilities. Darren, the district operations AGM, displayed graphs the board used to justify recommended water‑use reductions and drought triggers; staff recommended a "moderate" reduction package that includes a 20 percent reduction in secondary/irrigation water and a smaller cut in indoor culinary water if drought levels worsen.

Paxman and district staff described why higher impact fees are charged now: ongoing infrastructure replacement and major investments to maintain delivery systems and reservoirs. "We're putting a lot of infrastructure in the ground," Paxman said, adding that projects such as raising Willard Bay and repairs to aqueducts support continued replacement‑water deliveries across the watershed.

Commissioners questioned the timing of reservoir work and whether operations such as draining Pineview this season were unavoidable; district staff pointed to long‑standing contract terms with Ogden City that allow for draining for inspection and repairs. Paxman said the district is pursuing an operational balance that preserves downstream water rights while protecting stored supply for future needs.

The presentation also outlined a proposed property‑tax adjustment to help the district maintain a bond rating that supports lower borrowing costs for long‑term federal‑project repayment and major maintenance programs. Paxman said the proposed tax change would raise the average Morgan County homeowner's annual district share by about $5.62 under the district's assumptions.

Why it matters: The district's recommendations — revised replacement‑water pricing, stricter outdoor watering windows and a small property‑tax increase — are aimed at stretching limited supplies amid a dry multi‑year pattern. County officials will consider how those changes affect residents, builders and developers in Morgan County and whether to provide comment or local policy changes that align with the district's plan.

What happens next: District staff answered commissioners' questions during the meeting and provided follow‑up slides and cost breakdowns. The district said it will continue to coordinate with the Bureau of Reclamation and member cities on operations and will bring further details to interested jurisdictions as projects and tax proposals advance.