Water Bills Passed During the 2025 Utah Legislative Session
Legend
Bird icon: Early Bird
Moon icon: Latecomer
Gavel icon: Unanimous Votes
Binoculars icon: Media Attention
HB0041 | State Water Policy Amendments
Albrecht, C.
This bill added provisions to the State Water Policy for groundwater quality, saved water, the monitoring of watersheds in consultation with watershed councils, promoting state water planning, and applying regionally appropriate water reuse.
HB0046 | Water Rights Applications Amendments
Owens, D.
This bill establishes a form that may be filed to request the reinstatement of a lapsed water rights application.
HB0047 | Public Lands Watering Rights Amendments
Albrecht, C.
This bill established that if water for grazing is not used because the Animal Unit Months have been reduced by the federal government (this is when the government permits less stock to graze on an area so that overgrazing doesn’t occur), then water can’t be claimed by the federal government for other uses, particularly for wildlife, so long as the beneficial users of the spring or watering hole file a non-use application. This also does away with outdated livestock water use certificates.
HB0081 | Fluoride Amendments
Gricius, S.
The bill made it illegal to fluorinate public water systems in Utah. It also allows pharmacists to prescribe fluoride and requires the Division of Professional Licensing to set guidelines for how it should be prescribed.
HB0089 | Water Transfer Amendments
Bennion, G.
This bill will require all transfers of water shares to go through the probate process, rather than allowing shares valued at less than $100,000 to be transferred through small estate probate procedures involving an affidavit.
HB0174 | Water Rights Restricted Account
Albrecht, C.
This bill made it so that the Division of Water Rights can only use 5% or less of the funds deposited into the Water Rights Restricted Account during that year for obtaining legal support.
HB0243 | Agricultural Water Optimization Amendments
Shallenberger, D.
This bill allowed the Agricultural Water Optimization Committee to use certain money to fund research on methods for measuring saved water or evaluating the effectiveness of agricultural water optimization funding programs. It also modified eligibility requirements related to grants for agricultural water optimization to include subsurface drip irrigation, automated surge irrigation, measurement, telemetry, or reporting projects.
SB0200 S01 | Watercraft Amendments
McCay, D.
This bill was introduced to revise regulations concerning the registration and taxation of recreational watercraft and related vehicles. The bill aims to standardize and simplify the registration process by implementing uniform statewide fees for various types of recreational vehicles, including personal watercraft, snowmobiles, and trailers. Notably, the legislation specifies that vessels under 31 feet in length will be subject to these new fees. Additionally, the bill introduces the “Boating Grant Tax,” a new tax intended to fund boating-related projects and initiatives. It also makes technical changes to existing laws to improve clarity and consistency.
SB0220 S02 | Construction Modifications
Musselman, C.R.
This bill was enacted to enhance the state’s authority over stormwater runoff and water pollution control at construction sites. The bill grants the Utah Water Quality Board the ability to establish regulations that are more stringent than federal standards under the Clean Water Act and the Safe Drinking Water Act, provided that a thorough public review process demonstrates the necessity for such measures to protect public health and the environment. Additionally, S.B. 220 outlines enforcement authorities and penalties for violations, aiming to ensure compliance with the enhanced regulations. The bill also specifies that municipal system authorities and the Utah Department of Transportation (UDOT) may enact more stringent regulations than federal standards when considering stormwater runoff or water pollution control at construction sites. Notably, the bill includes exceptions for the Department of Transportation, acknowledging the unique challenges faced by state infrastructure projects.
HB0274 | Water Amendments
Snider, C.
This bill provided that municipalities, retail water suppliers, and secondary water suppliers may consider water conservation in setting reasonable tiered water rates. A secondary water supplier with a tiered rate will charge an end user at the lowest rate if the end user is using a portion of the water to grow food, including a garden, fruit trees, or pasture for grazing. The requirement for not more than five members of the Board of Water Resources to be from the same political party was removed. The bill also provided for how revenues from retail rates may be spent.
HB0285 | Water Infrastructure Modifications
Snider, C.
This bill directed loan repayments to the Water Infrastructure Fund, authorized fund transfers from multiple funds to the Water Infrastructure Fund, and required public water systems that receive state or federal financing to adopt capital asset management plans and reserve funding by 2028. Money from the Water Infrastructure Fund will be used to fund water infrastructure projects, which are prioritized in this bill as follows: (i) drinking water projects; (ii) wastewater projects; (iii) stormwater projects; (iv) secondary water projects; (v) dam and reservoir projects; (vi) off-farm agriculture projects; and (vii) water reuse projects.
HB0311 | Watershed Amendments
Snider, C.
This bill allows the Utah water agent to include facilities and land in the state water agent’s negotiations for water augmentation projects, which are defined as projects on interstate waters that increase or impact the amount of water available in this state. It allows the Board of Water Resources to enter into contracts for water augmentation projects negotiated by the Utah water agent. It changed the membership requirements for the Legislative Water Development Commission and updated the terms of water commissioners’ employment.
HB0368 | Local Land Use Amendments
Whyte, S.
This bill clarified and updated various laws related to municipal annexation, boundary adjustments, land use, and development processes. It amended how municipalities or counties will conduct annexation plan reviews and modified public notice requirements for proposed land use regulations. It prevented municipalities or counties from requiring private individuals or entities, such as community associations or homeowners associations, to maintain public access amenities or water utilities unless specific conditions applied. The bill adjusted the process for municipalities and counties to inspect and approve or reject warranty work and allowed municipalities to enforce landscaping ordinances. It also updated the process for transferable development rights and created an expedited review process for applicants submitting identical floor plans. The bill stopped municipalities and counties from requiring public hearings for variance requests or other land use appeals. The bill limited the ability of municipalities and counties to enforce ordinances by withholding building permits or certificates of occupancy. Finally, it modified the State Fire Code Act, updated provisions related to special districts and land use, and established a process for conveying real property by deed to a public entity.
HB0446 | Great Salt Lake Amendments
Koford, J.
This bill addressed several issues related to Great Salt Lake. It clarified metalliferous compounds for severance tax issues, modified requirements related to a feasibility study for activities on the lake, and changed provisions for adaptive management berms. It also allowed the Great Salt Lake Commissioner to oversee water leases to Great Salt Lake.
HB0520 | Water Entity Amendments
Snider, C.
This bill moved the office of the Great Salt Lake Commissioner under the Department of Natural Resources. It also created the Great Salt Lake Trust Council which oversees the expenditures of grant money, and it set up a process for the council and the commissioner to coordinate about how to lease water for the Great Salt Lake.
HB0550 | Building Permit Fee Prohibition Amendments
Peterson, T.
This bill prevented municipalities and counties from imposing inspection fees on water conservancy districts that hire qualified inspectors to conduct inspections on new infrastructure.
HCR001 | Concurrent Resolution Regarding the Grand County Water Conservancy District
Albrecht, C.
H.C.R. 1 is a resolution passed by the Utah Legislature expressing support for the transfer of federal water infrastructure to the Grand County Water Conservancy District. The resolution urges Congress to facilitate the transfer of water infrastructure owned by the U.S. Department of Energy, which is currently used for conveying water from the Green River to the Moab Uranium Mill Tailings Remedial Action (UMTRA) project site.
HJR009 | House Resolution Regarding Utah’s Share of Colorado River Water
Snider, C.
This resolution outlines the historical interstate compact regarding the Colorado River, highlights the significance of the Colorado River water allocated to Utah, and declares that it is the position of the state of Utah that any basin state should be able to use the state’s Colorado River allocation at any location within the geographic boundaries of that state.
SB0005 | Natural Resources, Agriculture, and Environmental Quality Base Budget
Hinkins, D.
This bill establishes the base budget for Utah’s Department of Natural Resources, Department of Agriculture and Food, Department of Environmental Quality, and the School and Institutional Trust Lands Administration for the fiscal years 2025 and 2026. The bill allocates specific funding amounts to various state agencies and programs, detailing exact budget allocations, nonlapsing fund provisions, and performance measurement targets.
SB0033 | Water Rights Recording Amendments
Vickers, E.
This bill allows grantors of water rights to make signatures by facsimile or electronic means.
SB0036 | Water Quality Board Amendments
Weiler, T.
This bill amended the Utah Water Quality Act to enhance the Utah Water Quality Board’s authority in handling settlement negotiations related to alleged violations of water quality regulations. The bill establishes a process for the board to review settlement negotiations between the director and a party in alleged violation of the act. If negotiations reach an impasse, the board is authorized to issue a final order establishing a reasonable penalty. The bill also outlines procedures for requesting a settlement conference, including timelines for scheduling and submitting materials. Additionally, it specifies that parties may seek judicial review of the board’s final order in accordance with the Administrative Procedures Act.
SB0080 | Water Fee Amendments
Sandall, S.
This required the Department of Environmental Quality, and allowed the Water Development Coordinating Council, to establish fee schedules for public water systems beginning on July 1, 2026, subject to approval by the Legislature, that incentivize communities to establish tiered rates, water planning, and water metering. It carves out agricultural use so that it is exempt from fees. Fees will go into the Water Infrastructure Fund.