The Washington County Water Conservancy District announced Monday the launch of One Water Washington County, a collaborative strategy aimed at securing a resilient water supply through five key initiatives including conservation, reuse, and infrastructure development. The initiative brings together the district and several municipal partners to manage limited water resources in the Desert Southwest.
Five Pillars of Water Management
The One Water Washington County program focuses on five primary pillars: conserve, reuse, develop, convert, and optimize. The district aims to reduce per capita water use by an additional 15% over the next decade through its conservation efforts to free up existing supplies.
As part of the reuse initiative, the district is developing the Regional Reuse Purification System. This project is projected to produce 24,200 acre-feet of water annually by 2042, providing enough water to serve more than 40,000 homes.
Regional Collaboration and Development
The strategy includes evaluating additional water supplies from agricultural land that is being converted for municipal and industrial use, as well as assessing whether groundwater rights can reliably generate more supply. The district also plans to invest in local infrastructure projects to produce, clean, and deliver water.
The initiative is a regional effort involving the district and its partners in St. George, Washington, Hurricane, Santa Clara, Ivins, Toquerville, La Verkin, and Virgin.
Existing Reservoir Infrastructure
The district currently manages a significant network of reservoirs with a combined storage capacity exceeding 100,000 acre-feet. Key existing structures include the Sand Hollow Reservoir, which has a 51,360 acre-foot capacity and was completed in 2002 at a cost of $37.3 million.
Other active reservoirs managed by the district include Quail Creek Reservoir, which holds 40,325 acre-feet, Gunlock Reservoir with 10,884 acre-feet, Kolob Reservoir with 5,586 acre-feet, and Ivins Reservoir, which has a capacity of 778 acre-feet.
Hydropower Revenue and Operations
The district also operates two hydropower plants that were built as part of the Quail Creek Project. These plants, Hurricane and Quail Creek, are fully paid and generate a combined annual revenue of more than $1 million.
The Hurricane Hydro plant, completed in 1987 for $1.3 million, generates up to 600 kilowatts and sells power to Hurricane City. The Quail Creek Hydro plant, completed in 1985 for $2.7 million, has a capacity of 2.4 megawatts and sells electricity to Dixie Power.
Future Water Projects
Future water projects remain part of the district's long-term planning. The Chief Toquer Reservoir, a 3,640 acre-foot project, is planned as part of the $94 million Ash Creek Project currently under construction in Toquerville.
Additionally, the district continues to evaluate the Warner Valley Reservoir, a long-term project considered for over 50 years. While technical and engineering challenges must still be addressed, the timing for its implementation remains under evaluation.
