Vote “No” for City Council
All candidates for all city councils in Washington County, with only one exception, avoid talking about the elephant in the room: the Lake Powell Pipeline. And that one exception comes down on the wrong side of the question.
Water or the lack of it overshadows almost all other priority issues that candidates identify: growth, traffic, affordable housing, and our overall quality of life. Unlike these other – dare I say subsidiary – issues, the pipeline is a multi-billion-dollar, all-or-nothing choice. We can’t build part of the pipeline to see if it helps.
The pipeline would have a real and immediate impact, costing every household in Washington County tens of thousands of dollars in water rate and property tax increases over coming years. Yet these increased costs wouldn’t improve water service for existing users one iota.
Instead, its construction would allow developers to fill Washington County with subdivisions and strip malls from Ivins to Springdale, turning the county into a microcosm of the Los Angeles basin and destroying the reasons many of us moved here in the first place.
Ignoring the elephant, all but one of the candidates have opted for vague generalities, casting a Harry Potter cloak of invisibility over how they will vote on this critical issue. Just as no member of Congress wants to mention Social Security reform, Washington County city council candidates avoid addressing the Lake Powell Pipeline directly, fearing voter reaction either way.
The one exception is St. George council candidate Natalie Larsen who states clearly, “I will work to protect our water rights and to build the Lake Powell Pipeline.” I give her credit for clearly addressing what is by far the biggest issue facing the citizens of Washington County but respectfully disagree with her position.
I am a longtime opponent of the pipeline. I’ve explained my rationale here and here and here. I’ve been clear that steeply raising rates for higher volume water users – like every other city in the Southwest does already – is the only way to promote meaningful water conservation. All city council candidates make cheap talk about conservation; none addresses the only sure way to accomplish it.
Enough already! It’s time to put the Lake Powell Pipeline issue front and center.
It’s clear that candidates with real estate and construction backgrounds will support the pipeline. But which candidates, if any, will speak during future council meetings in opposition to the multi-billion-dollar pipeline and the daunting financial burden it will place on generations to come? Who will speak in favor of realistic water rates for high-volume users that will promote tangible water conservation while still allowing for reasonable growth?
Will any elected official insist on giving Washington County voters an up or down vote on the pipeline as promised by former Governor Hebert? Or will our city councils rubber-stamp support for the pipeline, endorsing the moneyed interests that benefit from continued unbridled growth?
I’m reminded of the classic Dr. Seuss book “The Lorax” who “speaks for the trees” in opposition to the “Onceler” who is only too happy to reap the one-time benefits of cutting down every tree in sight. The following line from the book says it all: “Unless someone like you cares a whole awful lot, nothing is going to get better. It’s not.”
In the absence of candidates willing to voice opposition to the pipeline, I recommend that you vote “no” for this pack of city council candidate “oncelers.”
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You are right on, Howard! The Lake Powell Pipeline is the elephant in the room even as its chance for approval has diminished over the years due to cost but particularly because of diminishing flows in the Colorado River system which make it look like a “mad man’s (or woman’s!)” project. Larsen may be willing to speak out in support of the LPP in the Spectrum’s published information about candidates, but candidates Carolyn McDonald and Greg Aldred have both told me they oppose the LPP. Candidate Ron Woodbury stated, “I believe it is imperative to gather all the municipalities and organizations supplying water and power resources in Washington County to identify realistic growth rates for our communities that can be sustained by our true water and power resources.” Without saying it directly (which may be a problem) it sounds like he doesn’t necessarily support the LPP. Candidate Matthew Heaton stated, “I think we (Citizens of St George) need to take individual action in conserving water and I have some ideas on how each of us can make a large combined impact.” Whether this means he doesn’t support the LPP I do not know, but at least he’s focused on conservation, which is definitely what we need and has not had much focus in the past. So, perhaps there’s more cause for hope (and choice!) in this slate of candidates than at least what we’ve seen prior to now where they were all in lock step in supporting the abysmal LPP. Thanks for writing about this important topic!
Good Job Howard ! Journalism that matters.
Thank you, Howard. Your comments about current unfettered growth and construction of the pipeline are quite timely. As you noted, developers and construction companies are all for the pipeline. Their motto seems to be Money Now, and let someone else worry about the future.
Some comments on the pipeline.
Glen Canyon Dam was completed in 1964 and the Colorado River filled up what is known as Lake Powell (named after John Wesley Powell who led the first scientific expedition into the Grand Canyon in 1869 and later became a Director of the United States Geological Survey).
“The water stored in Lake Powell is used for recreation, power generation and delivering water to the Lower Basin states of California, Arizona, and Nevada.”
https://www.watereducation.org/aquapedia/lake-powell-and-glen-canyon-dam
The current mega-drought is very likely to continue into the future. Currently the water level of Lake Powell is extremely low. I would expect that Arizona, California and Nevada might have something to say about Utah building a pipeline to obtain some of their dwindling supply of water. I can foresee a major expense to Utah taxpayers for court costs and very likely ending up as a losing battle.
I also thought of this analogy. Stick a straw into a nearly empty glass of water and try to get a nice drink of water.
On that same subject, I see comments about water conservation, but no suggestions about installing recycling facilities in any new (and perhaps existing) developments. Along that same line of conservation, how about making solar a requirement for new construction. I can foresee electrical grid problems.
Concerning growth of our city. Historically there are times of boom (like now) and times of bust (2008-2010). Where will all the development and construction jobs go when the next bust comes?
There must be some candidates for Mayor and City Council who have the foresight to oppose the pipeline and attempt to control our out of control growth and are not beholden to developers. IF you are out there and have read Howard’s comment and following replies please let us know. Thanks!
Thank you Howard for clearly stating the necessity of all of us in Southern Utah to recognize the number one issue to all conservatives and progressives alike.
That is a conscious effort of all to plan for a sustainable future when NOAA is telling us we are witnessing continued desertification and extended drought possibilities.
It will not hurt us older citizens nor our children to demand a halt to growth for growths sake for a few years as we cope with our most precious resource, water.
When our western expansion offered unlimited new resources, we took advantage of these resources to become the world’s super power. It is once again time for the ingenuity of Americans to recognize a new paradigm, conserve for the long run. Endurance to survive the long game still offers new challenges.
Solar generation to survive a desert existence is surely one; but until the bathtub refills, let’s maintain what we have and become stronger for our efforts.