Letter to the editor: Why we need the Lake Powell Pipeline
By Washington County Commissioners Victor Iverson and Dean Cox and Chairman Zachary D. Renstrom
As commissioners for Washington County, we are frequently asked why we support the Lake Powell Pipeline (LPP). There is no single reason, but there are instead a number of threads of thought that, woven together, form a solidarity of opinion. In expressing our opinion, we recognize that all of our residents live here for a wide variety of reasons and live here with different expectations for the county’s future. We accept and appreciate the wide variety of backgrounds and expectations.
In our lifetimes, we’ve watched St. George and the rest of the county grow and create jobs. With more than 33,000 children currently enrolled in K–12 in local schools, we feel greatest responsibilities and obligations are to study, plan for, and deploy the necessary infrastructure to meet the requirements imposed by natural growth. Recent census studies have recognized the St. George metropolitan area as the nation’s fastest growing. Natural growth and in-migration will not automatically cease. There is no convenient switch that can be flipped to stop growth. Instead, we must plan for and manage what is currently happening to ensure a high quality of life for us and those who will follow.
The area has already grown to the point that it is dangerously dependent upon a single source of water: the relatively small geographic drainage area of the Virgin River System. Because of this over-reliance on a singular water source, we are extremely susceptible to water-supply exhaustion during any period of prolonged drought. These periodic dry spells occur regularly in the modern and historical record. The LPP as a second-source is critical for this reason alone. The Colorado River and Lake Powell/Flaming Gorge connection collects water over a vast geographic area, providing the water-source diversification so desperately needed.
Water is the “lubricant” of life and of our economy. More than ever before in our state’s history, Utah needs to lay claim to its share of the water that falls on Utah’s mountains and valleys. Thirsty states below us seem to better recognize the inherent value of Utah’s water and will spare no expense to beneficially utilize what Utah allows to pass beyond our borders. While costs are important, the opportunity cost of losing this Utah water will be unimaginable and, we feel, unforgivable.
We know that the LPP is a big investment in our community. It is just one component of a comprehensive water plan that also includes conservation, reuse, and tiered rates that will reward responsible water utilization. Large water projects are generational and do not come online quickly. It has been said that with adequate water supply, we must deal with many issues. Without water, there is only one issue we’ll be thinking about, and by then it will be too late.
We have our children and grandchildren enrolled in our local schools. We have a vibrant community that is thriving and offering opportunities the likes of which we’ve never seen before. Let’s not slam the door in their faces or in the faces of others who have chosen to move to Washington County for its many splendid offerings for people in all stations of life. The time is now to face forward with enthusiasm and pride for the community we’ve built and created to offer something of great value to all of our residents. We must continue to responsibly plan for our future. The LPP, like the other great water projects of the past, will play an integral role in keeping Washington County and the St. George metro area an inviting respite in an amazing place to live, work, raise a family, or retire. Let’s not export our most valuable commodity, our children, because we’re too timid to plan for their future and ours.
Respectfully submitted:
Washington County Commissioners
Chairman: Zachary D. Renstrom
Commissioner: Victor Iverson
Commissioner Dean Cox
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