Rep. Norm Thurston — Voting Record

Bill

Number

H.B. 41 (2025GS)

Sponsor

Rep. Albrecht, Carl R.

Final action

Governor Signed 2/27/2025

Outcome

Became law — signed by Gov. Spencer J. Cox

Summary

What it does

• This bill:
• addresses water quality in groundwater;
• references saved water;
• encourages monitoring of watersheds in consultation with watershed councils;
• promotes state water planning;
• accounts for regionally appropriate water reuse; and
• makes technical changes.

Every vote on this bill

Bill text

3
73-1-21
State Water Policy Amendments
2025 GENERAL SESSION
STATE OF UTAH
Chief Sponsor: Carl R. Albrecht
Senate Sponsor: Scott D. Sandall
LONG TITLE
General Description:
This bill amends the state water policy.
Highlighted Provisions:
This bill:
addresses water quality in groundwater;
references saved water;
encourages monitoring of watersheds in consultation with watershed councils;
promotes state water planning;
accounts for regionally appropriate water reuse; and
makes technical changes.
Money Appropriated in this Bill:
None
Other Special Clauses:
None
Utah Code Sections Affected:
AMENDS:
73-1-21
, as last amended by Laws of Utah 2024, Chapter 37
Be it enacted by the Legislature of the state of Utah:
Section 1, Section 
73-1-21
 is amended to read:
73-1-21. State water policy.
(1)
It is the policy of the state that:
(a)
Utah shall pursue adequate, reliable, affordable, sustainable, and clean water 
resources, recognizing that Utah is one of the most arid states in the nation and as 
such, there is, and will continue to be, a need to ensure Utah's finite water resources 
are used beneficially;
(b)
Utah will promote:
(i)
water conservation, efficiency, and the optimal use of water resources, while 
identifying intended and unintended consequences to ensure appropriate choice 
and implementation of particular strategies;
(ii)
water resource development and the creation of new water infrastructure 
necessary to meet the state's growing demand and promote economic development;
(iii)
compliance with state statutes regarding Lake Powell pipeline development and 
Bear River development;
(iv)
the timely replacement of aging or inefficient water resource, drinking water, 
wastewater, and storm water infrastructure;
(v)
the optimal use of agricultural water to sustain and improve food production and 
the productive capacity of agricultural lands;
(vi)
water quality in rivers
 and
,
 lakes
, and groundwater
 that:
(A)
complies with state clean water and safe drinking water statutes; and
(B)
protects public health;
(vii)
water pricing and funding mechanisms that:
(A)
provide revenue stability while encouraging conservation, efficiency, and 
optimization efforts;
(B)
adequately cover infrastructure needs; and
(C)
balance social, economic, public interest, and environmental values;
(viii)
respect for water rights;
(ix)
standards for accurate water use measurement, telemetry, tracking, enforcement, 
and reporting;
(x)
efforts to educate and engage the public in:
(A)
individual actions that protect water quality, including preventing and 
mitigating water pollution; and
(B)
conservation practices and the efficient and optimal use of water resources;
(xi)
the implementation of cyber security and physical security measures for water 
infrastructure;
(xii)
the study and consideration of mechanisms for increased flexibility in water use 
such as water banking
, saved water,
 and split season uses;
(xiii)
the monitoring, in consultation with watershed councils created under Chapter 
10g, Part 3, Watershed Councils Act, of activities in watersheds that provide water 
to drinking water systems to protect the watersheds;
(xiii)
(xiv)
continued improvements in the management of water resources through 
protection, restoration, and science-based evaluation of Utah watersheds, 
increased reservoir capacity, and aquifer recharge or aquifer storage and recovery;
(xiv)
(xv)
the development and beneficial use of Utah's allocated share of interstate 
rivers, including Utah's allocations under the 1922 and 1948 Colorado River 
Compacts and the 1980 Amended Bear River Compact;
(xv)
(xvi)
the study and development of strategies and practices necessary to address 
declining water levels and protect the water quality and quantity of the Great Salt 
Lake, Utah Lake, and Bear Lake, taking into consideration natural climate change, 
natural weather systems and patterns, and normal cyclic water level change over 
time, while balancing economic, social, and environmental needs;
(xvi)
(xvii)
regulations and practices, including voluntary practices, that maintain 
sufficient stream flows and lake levels to provide reasonable access to recreational 
activities and protect and restore water quality, quantity, and healthy ecosystems, 
including protecting groundwater and surface water sources from pollution;
(xvii)
(xviii)
equitable access to safe, affordable, and reliable drinking water to 
protect public health;
(xviii)
(xix)
regulations and practices that encourage effective treatment of 
wastewater to maximize its availability for beneficial use and minimize depletion 
and the further degradation of other waters;
(xix)
(xx)
the control of invasive species that threaten or degrade waters of the state;
(xx)
(xxi)
coordination among the state, water providers, water users, local 
governments, government agencies, and researchers in the study of ways weather 
and climate will impact future water supplies, demand, and quality;
(xxii)
state water planning, including the formation of the state water plan as 
provided in Section 
73-10-15
;
(xxiii)
water reuse with appropriate conditions for the region in which the water reuse 
occurs;
(xxi)
(xxiv)
water laws, rules, and enforcement that are consistent with this 
Subsection (1) and encourage transparency, order, and certainty in the use of 
public water;
(xxii)
(xxv)
the support and funding of research, science, and technology necessary 
to achieve the provisions of this Subsection (1); and
(xxiii)
(xxvi)
the collaboration, cooperation, and engagement of stakeholders in the 
identification and advancement of actions that support the provisions of this 
Subsection (1); and
(c)
Utah supports the timely and appropriate negotiated settlement of federally reserved 
water right claims for both Native American trust lands and other existing federal 
reservations, and opposes any future designation of public lands that does not 
quantify any associated federally reserved water rights.
(2)
State agencies are encouraged to conduct agency activities consistent with Subsection 
(1) and implement policies established by the Legislature that promote the near- and 
long-term stewardship of water quality and water resources.
(3)
This section does not create a cause of action against the state's or a state agency's action 
that is inconsistent with Subsection (1) and does not waive governmental immunity 
under Title 63G, Chapter 7, Governmental Immunity Act of Utah.
(4)
The Natural Resources, Agriculture, and Environment Interim Committee shall review 
the state water policy annually and recommend priority balancing and any other changes 
to the Legislature.
Section 2. 
Effective date.
This bill takes effect on 
May 7, 2025
.
1-13-25 2:39 PM