Rocky Ridge hears Central Utah Project update; treated water via Santaquin seen as most economical

The Rocky Ridge Town Council on July 15 received a comprehensive briefing on the Central Utah Project and how the planned improvements could affect the town's long-term water supply.

Andy Allred, Rocky Ridge's representative on the East Juab Water Conservancy Advisory Committee, said the committee expects converting the Salem Canal to an enclosed pipeline to conserve "approximately 8,000 acre-feet of water annually" by reducing seepage and evaporation. He told the Council the committee is weighing whether to deliver treated (potable) water or raw water to Juab County communities, and he described a likely near-term pathway for Rocky Ridge to access treated water through neighboring Santaquin rather than building its own treatment facility.

Why it matters: treated water would reduce Rocky Ridge's capital costs because the town would avoid constructing a treatment plant; raw water would require a local treatment facility and higher long-term infrastructure expense. Andy Allred also warned that the project is expensive: preliminary estimates range from $20,000 to $40,000 per acre-foot depending on alignment, right-of-way, and treatment requirements. He said the committee is pursuing financing options that could allow municipalities to reserve allocations incrementally rather than pay the full cost upfront.

Council members discussed governance and growth-management issues. The advisory committee is developing interlocal agreements intended to keep decisions about allocation and use under local government control and to prevent direct sale of municipal allocations to private developers. The committee has proposed that the East Juab Water Conservancy District manage the imported supply while participating municipalities retain authority over allocations.

The Council discussed a proposed $5,000 contribution toward a regional feasibility study that will evaluate current water use, projected demands, potential allocations and preliminary engineering recommendations. Andy said consulting engineers will contact town staff to gather data and develop long-range projections. No formal decision or allocation was made at the meeting; Councilmembers recommended continuing participation in planning to preserve future options.

Next steps: the town will consider involvement in the feasibility study and continue to monitor project planning. Andy emphasized the timeline remains uncertain but noted companion pipeline work (including a potential Santaquin–Nephi link) and Salem Canal enclosure already in progress may make a treated-water connection more feasible in the coming decade.