Water users in the Jordan Valley Water Conservancy District may be paying more in property taxes, reported The Salt Lake Tribune.
The water provider supplies 17 member agencies in a service area, with a population of about 800,000. According to The Salt Lake Tribune, the provider wants to increase its fiscal 2022 property tax rate by approximately 8%.
“As it turns out,” said water district boss Bart Forsyth, reported The Salt Lake Tribune, “Some of the largest infrastructure that we have in our system providing water to a growing population is now at capacity. And in order to meet the water needs of the growing population, we need to expand that plant significantly to provide for that growth.”
The Jordan Valley Water Treatment Plant is the largest treatment facility in the state and runs at capacity in the summer.
According to The Salt Lake Tribune, the annual property tax bill from the water district will rise by $7 on a home worth $550,000, increasing annual revenue by about $1.7 million.
The district’s goal with these funds is to make debt payments and invest in capital projects.
In addition to the treatment facility upgrades and expansion, other plans include the construction of new wells and two new tanks to store drinking water for growth in places including West Jordan, South Jordan, Riverton and Herriman.
According to district spokesperson Linda Townes Cook, Jordan Valley has previously been able to put off the expansion of the treatment plant due to new water sources and Utahns cutting back their consumption.
Cook encourages residents to continue conservation efforts by curbing water use by 10% and limiting watering to two days a week, reported The Salt Lake Tribune.
An Aug. 10 public hearing will allow residents to provide input, reported The Salt Lake Tribune. This is when the board of trustees will consider adopting the new rate.
