How Cedar Valley Plans To Recycle Water For Community Use

A major water conservation project in Cedar Valley has received a significant boost thanks to newly secured federal funding, bringing the long-planned effort much closer to completion.

During a recent appearance on the Big Picture Morning Show on KSUB radio, Cedar Valley Water Conservancy District General Manager Paul Monroe announced that an additional $3.25 million has been secured for the district’s effluent reuse project. Monroe credited Congresswoman Celeste Maloy for helping obtain the funding.

Paul Monroe in Studio - Dr. T / Canva Design

“First of all, thanks for having me. This is definitely a great opportunity for everybody here in Cedar Valley,” Monroe said. “But we just received a notification that Celeste Maloy helped us get an additional 3.25 million that's going to go to our effluent reuse project. And so this moves us from basically the 50 yard line to the finish line. It puts us over the top and gets us where we need to be.”

Relief For Aquifer Main Aim Of Project

The project focuses on recycling treated wastewater for irrigation and other non-potable uses rather than relying on groundwater from the valley’s aquifer. Monroe explained that the first phase of the project upgraded treatment facilities so that reclaimed water can safely be used in areas where the public may come into contact with it.

The next phase will involve constructing pump stations and pipelines to transport the treated water from the wastewater treatment plant, located several miles from Cedar City, into Cedar City and Enoch’s secondary water systems. Once completed, the reclaimed water could be used to irrigate parks, schools, Southern Utah University, the cemetery, golf courses and other public landscapes.

According to Monroe, the system is expected to recycle roughly three million gallons of water each day. That translates into a substantial reduction in demand on the valley’s groundwater supply.

“We're talking about 3 million gallons a day of what goes out there,” Monroe said. “And so that's 3 million gallons a day of drinking water that we're basically going to save annually and be able to keep down in the aquifer instead of using that drinking water.”

The project could also provide opportunities for agricultural users located along the pipeline route to connect to the system, particularly during the early years when excess capacity may be available.

Construction on the distribution system is expected to take several years, with completion anticipated sometime between 2027 and 2028.

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Monroe described the effort as the district’s largest conservation project to date and emphasized that water conservation remains a community-wide responsibility. Along with large infrastructure projects, he encouraged residents to consider water-wise landscaping, rebate programs and other conservation measures that can help preserve local water resources for future generations.

Listen to our discussion with Paul Monroe in the podcast below.