In a 1999 survey, 91 percent of drinking water systems in Utah indicated that they will need system upgrades within the next 15 years. (Photo of water tank above Rockville Cemetery.)

In a 1999 survey of drinking water systems conducted by the Utah Division of Drinking Water, 91 percent of the respondents indicated that the overall physical condition of their system would need to be upgraded within the next 15 years, and 31 percent of the respondents indicated that their present system was deficient, particularly with respect to its ability to maintain minimum fire flows.³ Solutions to these problems include additional sources, new and enlarged piping, more storage reservoirs, and additional or larger water treatment facilities.

The survey also revealed that 38 percent of systems do not collect enough revenue from water bills to meet the usual operation and maintenance expenses of their system, and only 30 percent of the systems collect sufficient funds to cover the costs of future improvements.⁴

Ultimately water users must bear these increased costs. The water funding programs administered by state and federal governments have been important in developing water projects and infrastructure. These programs are generally low-interest loans that, when repaid, fund other water projects through a revolving fund.

RELATED LINKS
	State and Local Agencies • Utah Division of Water Resources • Central Utah Water Conservancy District • Jordan Valley Water Conservancy District • Washington County Water Conservancy District		Weather Modification • Utah's Cloud Seeding Program