Water Stewards

Central Iron County Water Conservancy District Presents Water Reuse and Conservation Efforts to State Appropriations Subcommittee

Cedar City, Utah – February 3

Appointed to the Utah House of Representatives in 2019, representing District 71, Representative Rex Shipp strives to be a consistent voice for the people of District 71.

A good example of what he is doing for our community happened Tuesday, Feb 3rd, when Representative Shipp and Central Iron County Water Conservancy District (CICWCD) General Manager Paul Monroe presented before the Natural Resources, Agriculture, and Environmental Quality Appropriations Subcommittee to outline the district’s ongoing water conservation, recharge, reuse, and groundwater management efforts.

During the meeting, Monroe highlighted the District’s Wastewater Reuse Plan, a project designed to take water that would otherwise be unusable, treat it to Type-I reuse standards, and provide water into the secondary system used for parks, cemetery, SUU, and agriculture. This approach helps reduce demand on Cedar Valley’s declining aquifer while maximizing every available drop of water.

Monroe emphasized the importance of collaboration with local agriculture. Through programs like this that will allow temporarily idling of irrigation wells. Farmers are able to maintain production while reducing groundwater withdrawals — effectively achieving near 100% conservation during those periods.

“Our basin is a closed system, and most of our water comes from groundwater,” Monroe explained. “With a current deficit of approximately 7,000 acre-feet annually, we must use every tool available to conserve, reuse, and recharge our water supplies.”

Conservation Progress

The District reported significant strides in conservation and water management, including:

• Development of seven artificial recharge projects
• Returning more than 7.6 billion gallons of water to the aquifer during wet years through recharge efforts
• Ranking as the fourth-leading county in water conservation statewide
• Leading agricultural efficiency initiatives, including LEPA and LESA irrigation systems, Partnering with Utah State University and Southern Utah University on water research and sustainability strategies

Wastewater Reuse Project

Phase One of the wastewater filtration system, the construction of a filter plant which treats reclaimed water to multi-use standards, is nearing completion. The total cost of Phase One is $5.4 million. The second phase will include the transmission pipeline to bring the water back to Cedar City and Enoch City secondary systems while connecting agricultural users along the way. The District has already secured $3.5 million, and with Representative Shipp’s assistance, the District is requesting an additional $4M in state assistance to match those funds.

Planning for Growth

Discussions also addressed long-term supply solutions, including the Pine Valley Water Supply Project and continued groundwater management planning.

Representative Shipp noted the urgency of proactive planning, stating:

“Iron County is one of the fastest-growing counties in the state. We ask all new developments to bring water rights with them. This is extremely critical, and we appreciate your support.”

Looking Ahead

Monroe concluded by reaffirming the District’s commitment to conservation, innovation, and developing additional water sources to ensure Cedar Valley’s future.

“Our focus remains the same,” he said. “Conserve what we have, reuse what we can, and responsibly plan for the growth of our community.”

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The purpose of the Iron County Water Stewards program is to recognize community members for contributing to the effort to optimize every drop of water in Iron County. The Central Iron County Water Conservancy District (CICWCD) is actively engaged in education, conservation, reuse and import projects to meet the growing demands on local water supply.

For every effort you make to conserve, we consider you a water steward, too. To Get to Know Your H2O, visit https://cedarvalleywaterutah.gov/.

The Central Iron County Water Conservancy District is in the process of changing its name to the Cedar Valley Water Conservancy. While the name may be shorter and more closely aligned with the community it serves, the Water Conservancy mission remains the same: planning for and protecting the water resources that sustain Cedar Valley.

To understand the proposed name change, it helps to understand how and why the Water Conservancy was formed.

In the 1990s, a group of Iron County leaders and residents recognized a growing need: water issues in Cedar Valley were becoming larger and more complex than any single community could manage alone. To address that challenge, they began working toward the creation of a water conservancy that would serve the valley.

One of the individuals asked to help lead that effort was Dane Leavitt, a community leader with deep roots in water development. What followed was a six-year process that ultimately led to the formation of the Central Iron County Water Conservancy District (CICWCD) in 1997.

“That has been my main public contribution to water rights issues,” said Leavitt, adding that the District has met his expectations, and has its most important work yet to come.

Why “Central Iron County”?

“The present name was helpful to describe the boundaries as we went through the formation process. (Brian Head, Parowan and the Escalante Valley opted out of participation). and I agree that a new name will better serve going forward,” said Leavitt.

The remaining communities—Cedar City, Enoch, Kanarraville, and the surrounding unincorporated county areas—do share a common groundwater source: the Cedar Valley Aquifer. Because the proposed district covered the central portion of Iron County and focused on this shared basin, it became known as the Central Iron County Water Conservancy District.

Why the Water Conservancy Is Looking Toward a New Name?

The Water Conservancy has conducted public forums and surveys in order to identify a name which continues to focus on the same mission: protecting and planning for the water future of Cedar Valley.

As the community has grown and public understanding evolves, the Conservancy is striving to become more transparent and provide a name that is easier for the public to remember and restate, when looking for information and resources. 

the shortened name “Cedar Valley Water Conservancy” is iconic to the area in which the Water Conservancy serves and manages water resources.

The Water Conservancy’s boundaries closely align with Cedar Valley, and its work centers on the Cedar Valley Aquifer—a shared resource that transcends city limits. For many residents, “Cedar Valley” is already the most recognizable and meaningful way to describe both the region and its water challenges. The proposed name change also reflects a desire for a name that is simpler, easier to remember, and more directly connected to the community the Water Conservancy serves.

District General Manager Paul Monroe said the foresight of those who formed the district made today’s work possible.

“Water is a geographical issue larger than what any one municipality can manage,” Monroe said. “It’s crucial to have an entity that works to establish solutions and ensure water for the future of the entire basin.”

“Our aquifer has been mined for over a hundred years,” Leavitt said. “The state has ordered reductions in groundwater use over the coming years. For the long-term benefit of the community and the environment, we have to both find new water sources and conserve the water we have.”

Those efforts, he said, are best coordinated by a Water Conservancy working in partnership with municipalities—just as the original founders intended.

As the Central Iron County Water Conservancy District looks toward a potential transition to the Cedar Valley Water Conservancy, the goal is not to erase history, but to reflect it more clearly—honoring the work that began in the 1990s while aligning the Water Conservancy’s name with the community, the aquifer, and the shared water future it serves today.

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The purpose of the Iron County Water Stewards program is to recognize community members for contributing to the effort to optimize every drop of water in Iron County. The Central Iron County Water Conservancy District (CICWCD) is actively engaged in education, conservation, reuse and import projects to meet the growing demands on local water supply.

For every effort you make to conserve, we consider you a water steward, too. To Get to Know Your H2O, visit https://cedarvalleywaterutah.gov/.