Sources

Washington County’s current water supply comes from a combination of surface and ground water from the Virgin River watershed, a tributary of the Colorado River. This water source has been developed and used by the county since the area was founded and is reaching its full development capacity.

Water suppliers in Washington County deliver less than 50,000 acre feet of potable water annually from surface and groundwater in the Virgin River watershed. The district’s average annual water yield from its existing facilities is approximately 30,000 acre feet.

Creating additional and more diverse water supplies for Washington County is critical for the state, district and local water users. The Virgin River watershed is prone to excessive drought conditions and is insufficient to meet the demands of a population projected to more than double by 2060.

The district is working with the state and its municipal partners to identify additional water resources for the county that include new resource development, additional conservation, wastewater reuse and agricultural conversions.