“It’s a myth that Utah is running out of water,” says one of the West’s foremost water attorneys, based in Salt Lake City. “Utah has plenty of water; the crisis is the creation of institutional shortages–individuals and agencies have the water, but they don’t want others to have any of it.” Utah Business Magazine February 1992 “Water Wars”

Salt Lake City Public Utilities is hydro-malicious. SLC’s water hoarding to squeeze double water dollars from SLC residents, and “surplus” water customers in three counties is not in the public interest.

Big and Little Cottonwood Canyons are unsafe because the strange Salt Lake City watershed policies are used to obstruct common sense road safety connectors  to eliminate cul-de-sac canyons with 9,000 per day traffic counts.  2002 Olympic Officials were told Big and Little Cottonwood Canyons were cul-de-sac canyons and unsafe for Olympic venues while it was and is Salt Lake City’s strange watershed policies which perpetuate these unsafe canyons.  SLC’s strange watershed and Wilderness policies objective is NO EXPANSION OF THE SKI INDUSTRY in Big and Little Cottonwood Canyons and doubling SLC’s jurisdiction.

Salt Lake City is 90.5 square miles, but with “watershed jurisdiction” Salt Lake City controls an extra 110 square miles.  In other words, SLC uses watershed to double it building and zoning control to 200 square miles or 26% of Salt Lake County’s 756 square miles. (Salt Lake City Utah Visitor Information 3 August, 2010)

Why would an Alta Mayor claiming to be an Alta resident appoint 6 of 7 Alta Planning Commission seats to Salt Lake City Public Utilities people who don’t live in Alta?

If one lives in Sandy with his wife and children, how does one become the Mayor of Alta?

If one lives in Cottonwood Heights with his wife and children, how does one become an Alta Councilman?

18 years after “Water Wars,” SLC’s rogue, self-regulated water machine operating at full tilt has manufactured the “institutional water shortages” required to squeeze double water dollars from SLC residents, and tens of millions in a “surplus water tax” from non-SLC residents in three counties outside Salt Lake City boundaries.  The “surplus” millions are wasted on bloated overhead, extreme environmental policies, and lawsuits to maintain the requisite “institutional water shortage” for money and gain.

Why are SLC water costs double Jordan Valley’s, Orem’s, and Provo’s?  Because SLC hoards water to keep water off the market to keep prices up and keep SLC “surplus” water customers dependent on SLC for water.

Jordan Valley, Provo, and Orem operating on the principle that water quality is a function of water treatment produce low cost, high quality water.

In contrast, Salt Lake City operating on the principle that water quality is a function of extreme watershed protection produces high cost, high quality water.

This primary shift in operating principles creates a un-needed $20 million excess water cost borne by Salt Lake City, Salt Lake County, Wasatch County, Summit County, and Utah.

SLC begins with water that is 3 times cleaner than the Provo River Water used by Jordan Valley, Orem, and Provo, yet SLC’s finished water is double and triple in cost and of no higher quality.

Provo River water is full recreation water with boating, swimming, dogs, and open public use.  Contrasted with SLC’s extreme watershed policy water with very limited recreation, no swimming, no dogs, and highly restricted and regulated public use.  In short, SLC watershed regulations are intentional revenue generators not water quality generators.

57% of Big Cottonwood Creek water goes untreated and will not be treated in the future due to water treatment plant capacities.

1 acre-foot of water is 1 foot of water sitting on top of acre of land, or 325,851 gallons. 1 cubic foot of water (CFS) is 7.48 gallons, or 1.983 acre-feet of water per day.  The average home in Utah uses 210 to 240 gallons per day, or 0.25 acre-feet per home per year.

SLC’s myth-information and chronicity of hoarding has amassed a 500,000 acre-feet hoard of water claims used to squeeze double water dollars from Salt Lake City residents, and neighboring Salt Lake County residents (”surplus water customers”), to exact a “surplus water tax” from non-SLC residents in Wasatch and Summit County, and to control 125,000 acres on non-SLC lands outside SLC’S corporate jurisdiction.  “Surplus” water has enabled SLC to control Alta and four ski resorts development in Salt Lake County.

Salt Lake City Public Utilities is a Billion Dollar SLC corporate “subsidiary” with $138 Million* in yearly revenue, non-competitive, self-regulated utility failure.

SLC has hoarded so much water it operates a “surplus” water business in three counties outside SLC corporate limits in addition to having the water and water infrastructure “now in place to support another 200,000 consumers” (LeRoy Hooton, Jr., SLC Public Utility Director)  In 1992, Hooton, declared: “Salt Lake City  has ample supplies of water.” Published in Utah Business Magazine’s “Water Wars” February 1992.

That’s a water capacity in 1992 for 600,000 people.  SLC has a 2010 population of 180,000.

SLC’s game is to control water connections, control toilets to double SLC control to 200 of 756 square miles of Salt Lake County.  Double SLC water revenue and increase development revenue with increased power of planning and zoning on an extra 110 square miles outside SLC boundaries.

The game is too easy.  Use municipal privileges to hoard more water than SLC could ever use.  Declare it “surplus” lease or sell for millions.  Bring quiet title lawsuit against competitors like United Park City Mines.  Tell the court SLC’s water supply is “threatened.”  Win.  Declare the water “surplus” and lease the “threatened surplus” water to Park City and Wasatch County for $5.8 million.  Bring a quiet title lawsuit against 2,4000 Utah Lake water users.  Tell the court SLC’s water supply is “threatened.”  Win. Declare the water “surplus.”  Sell a portion for $4.1 million.  Bring a quiet title lawsuit against Silver Fork Pipeline Company.  Tell the court SLC’s water is “threatened.”  Win.  Sell “surplus” water contracts to canyon land owners.

SLC Public Utilities has even turned on its own residents and County neighbors to squeeze them for double water dollars to fund water bureaucrats, pet eco-projects, and double staffing, big government waste and inefficiencies.  SLC Public Utilities billed the City itself $2.5 million for water in 2009 including a $130,000 SLC water franchise fee.  This is a double charge on Salt Lake City residents.

Salt Lake Public Utilities FAILS to compete with Jordan Valley, Provo City, or Orem City which provide low cost, high quality water with equal customer service, and equal environmental protection  at half the cost.

Jordan Valley, Provo, and Orem put Public Service and Integrity in Public Utilities.  Salt Lake City Public Utilities puts Profiteering above Public interest.

Salt Lake City parks brown while SLC water wastes.  SLC can’t afford its own high priced water.  Efficient Provo and Orem water departments deliver low cost, high quality water.  Provo and Orem parks are green.  SLC has ample water and multiple “surpluses.”  SLC residents are being played by their own water department by having brown parks.  SLC browns the parks and to pretend SLC a penny pinching, water conserving, environmentalist.  In reality, its PR spin to raise the water rates another 5% while SLC’s Utah Lake water, SLC’s Millcreek water, 85% of SLC’s well water, SLC’s 35,000 acre-feet of sewer effluent, and SLC’s 55,000 water shares  run to waste.

SLC itself could save $1 million a year, the U of U save $1 million per year, SLC residents save $15 million per year, SL County “surplus” water customers save $10 million on the City’s water bill by switching water providers to Jordan Valley, or if SLC Public Utilities became competitive like Jordan Valley, Provo City or Orem City.

In 2009, the VA Hospital in Salt Lake City, Utah was billed $636,581.66 for water, sewer, storm, SLC water franchise fees, and SLC sewer franchise fees. (Data provided by VA Hospital by FOIA.)

In 2009, University of Utah was billed $2,749,793.05 for water, sewer, storm, SLC water franchise fees, and SLC sewer franchise fees.   University of Utah used 1,405,007 CCF (1,050,997,596 gallon, 1.05 Billion gallons, 3,225.393 acre-feet of water at $481.61 per acre-foot average, or $1.48 per 1,000 gallons) -Data provided by Salt Lake County by GRAMA.

If Jordan Valley, Provo, or Orem provided water services to the VA Hospital, University of Utah, and other SLC “water customers” then the VA’s water bill, University of Utah’s water bill, and others’ water bills would be cut in half.

SLC WATER GAME IS 1) ask the state for free state water rights by claiming their neighbor’s “future public demand,” 2) declare this water “surplus,” 3) lease it as “surplus” to neighboring municipalities who can’t get free state water because the water basin is closed to new water appropriations, 4) tell the state SLC is meeting the beneficial use requirement of it hoarded water because the water being leased, 5) cash the big water checks from leasing so-called “surplus water,” 6) use the “surplus” millions of tax payer monies to fund a cache of influence with lawyers, and lawsuits to disrupt the transferability of water and put competition out of business, and 7) buy up lobbyists and influence to incrementally change the laws to  concentrate the control of water into SLC’s hands, and pack water boards and water task forces with SLC water “associates.”

In 2007, Jordan Valley Water Conservation District beat Salt Lake City Water Department and swept the local water taste test challenge. “Jordan Valley Water Conservation District (Jordan Valley Water) was pleased to win all three categories, taking surface water award for water treated at its Bluffdale treatment plant, which gets its main source of water from the Provo River. The winning entry for ground water was Jordan Valley Water’s Willow Creek well, located in Sandy.  This well water also took the award for overall best tasting water.”  How does Jordan Valley protect the environment and watershed and produce tastier water at  half the cost of SLC?

In 2008, SLC sold 75,843 acre-feet of water of which 50,511 acre-feet was purchased from the Salt Lake City & Sandy Metropolitan Water District plant in Cottonwood Heights.

In 2007, 78% of the Salt Lake City & Sandy Metropolitan Water District’s water came from the Provo River system outside of the Salt Lake Valley.

HALF OF SLC’S WATER DOES NOT COME FROM THE LOCAL CANYONS.

SLC sends out about 1 million water bills in CCF units annually.  This is not transparent. Who knows how much water is in a CCF?

When SLC says: “We aggressively protect the city’s water”,  SLC really means SLC is using the public purse and municipal skirts to sue, protest, disrupt, and stop the transfer of water to decrease competition. Without competition SLC can maintain the double squeezing of water dollars from Salt Lake City residents and Salt Lake County “surplus” water customers to fill SLC’s coffers.

It’s about EZ MONEY and  EZ CONTROL beyond  SLC’S corporate limits using a rogue, self-regulated “Water Enterprise Utility” to hoard water to create an artificial water scarcity to double SLC’s water revenue and concentrate control of non-SLC lands like Alta and the 7 east canyons into the hands of SLC.

$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$

$ Salt Lake County “water customers” of SLC  pay an annual “surplus water tax” to the SLC “Water Enterprise Fund” plus an over charge of $5.2 million per year. County water customers pay about double for water.

$$ Cottonwood Heights pays an annual “surplus water tax” to the SLC “Water Enterprise Fund”  Cottonwood Heights pay about double for water. $200 treated water is purchased by SLC from SLC’s water district in Cottonwood Heights then marked up up to $1,100 old rate or $1,208 new rate and re-sold in Cottonwood Heights under SLC’s claim of “no profit.”

$$$ Alta pays an annual “surplus water tax” to the SLC “Water Enterprise Utility.”

$$$$ Wasatch County residents pay an annual $400,000 “surplus water tax” to the SLC “Water Enterprise Utility.” Over $4 million paid to date for “surplus” state water resources hoarded by SLC.

$$$$$ Summit County residents pay an annual $100,000 “surplus water tax” to SLC “Water Enterprise Utility” About $1.8 million paid to date for “surplus” state water resources hoarded by SLC.

$$$$$$ Salt Lake County residents pay an annual “surplus water tax” to the SLC “Water Enterprise Utility” plus have been over charged about $30 million under a Metro tax offset charge.

$$$$$$$ Brighton Ski Resort, Snowbird Ski Resort, Alta Ski Resort, and Solitude Ski Resort all pay an annual “surplus water tax” to the SLC “Water Enterprise Utility.”

$$$$$$$$ Big Cottonwood Canyon houses pay an annual “surplus water tax” to the SLC “Water Enterprise Utility.”

$$$$$$$$$ State taxpayers pay top tiered SLC retail rates for U of U’s $2.2 million water bill. U of U’s 3,400 acre-feet cost SLC $212,500 to produce. The U of U should get a wholesale rate.  $2 million in gross profits means SLC is overcharging the state’s higher ed system for water. Marking $212,500 water up to $2.2 million is rate gouging the State Legislature who pays the U of U’s water bills.

In 2009, SLC charged itself $2,166,768.97 for water and $122,083.73 in SLC Franchise Fees which is about what SLC charged the U of U.  How can the U of U get a water bill equal to all the SLC parks and buildings?

The  proposed June 1, 2010 5% rate increase plus new 4th tier rate of $3.74 per 1,000 gallons will hit the U of U ( State tax payer) in the eye with $125,000 to $200,000 in water cost increases. Utah Valley University pays a flat rate of $0.58 per 1,000 gallons.

$$$$$$$$$ SLC Public Utilities proposes a  5% rate increase in June 2010 plus a new 4th tiered rate only hitting the U of U, Churches, Schools, Hospitals, and Businesses.  The U of U really does not care because the legislature picks up the tab. SLC has it hand in the state’s deep pocket using SLC self-regulated utility.  The Catholic Church, LDS Church, Jordan School District will pay more for less water. There is a point of tipping point where tiered conservation rates actually cause water to waste.

$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$

In 2010, Questar Gas got a 1% rate increase after going before the Public Service Commission.  SLC Public Utilities will get another 5% rate increase after going before its City Council by self-regulation year after year after year.

SLC is a great city. SLC opposes predatory lending practices of pay day loan centers. SLC condones the predatory billing  practices of the SLC Public Utility Department. The new 4th tier conservation rate target only 3% hits the U of U, Churches, Schools, Hospitals, and businesses. The 97% indirectly pay the new 4th tier rate to $3.74 per 1,000 gallons despite the fluffery in SLC’s May 2010 rate increase colored pamphlet.

It appears SLC Public Utilities has predatory utility billing practices targeting large non-property tax paying institutions like the U of U, VA Hospital, IHC Hospitals, Jordan School District, the Catholic Church, the LDS Church, Salt Lake County  government buildings and parks, and State government buildings and parks.  A so-called 4th top tiered conservation rate to $3.74 per 1,000 gallons is really a back door revenue scheme used against large institutions which already practice water conservation and cannot escape paying more for less water.

SLC Public Utilities fails to compete with comparable water providers like Jordan Valley, Provo City, and Orem City.  Three separate low cost, high quality water providers with similar water sources as SLC provide water at about half the cost with equal environmental protection.  Self-regulation and self-oversight has failed Salt Lake City and Salt Lake County residents.  The double squeezing of water dollars from hard working residents is not in the public interest.

SLC’s anti-competitive practices on Utah’s free water markets by disrupting the transferability of water is not in the public interest.

If one checks the court records, he will not find Jordan Valley, Provo and Orem clogging the court docket with water case after water case to tamp down competition like SLC.  Why?  Because SLC cannot compete and does not like any competition created by the transferability of water to its multi-million “surplus” water business.

The double squeezing of water dollars from SLC residents and “surplus” Salt Lake and Wastach County water customers is somehow justified, because SLC “cares more and protects the environment more.”  Jordan Valley, Provo and Orem care as much and protect as much without double squeezing water dollars from the public.

Information on this site comes from Salt Lake City, Salt Lake County, Metropolitan Water District of Salt Lake City & Sandy, Utah Division of Water Rights public records, Inter-mountain American Water Works Association, and other sources of public information.

A copy of this page was provided to Salt Lake City to review for errors and comment.  SLC responds with personal attacks. SLC Public Utilities complains Utahwater.net seeks to discredit the utility to take the city’s water.  This is false.  SLC Public Utilities has discredited itself and the good name of SLC by splicing government records, making false statement to law enforcement, using its “muscle” to deny un-desirables water, using dark lobby contracts, demonizing the disappointed as “sinister,” “dangerous,” and “threatening,” hoarding public water to double squeeze water dollars from SLC residents and its neighbors, and misleading the courts, City Council, and elected officials.

SLC claims to provide water to 400,000 people, but the real figure is under 300,000.

Q: Is doubling the water revenue from 400,000 people by hoarding, suing, and self-regulation in the public interest?

Q: Is the extraction of an extra $20 million in “non-profit” water revenue from 400,000 people really a city government service?

Q: Has SLC’s expenditure of millions and million to sue water users was to decrease the transferability of water,  to decrease competition,  to double  water revenues from its own residents and non-SLC residents, and to increase control of non-SLC lands using water.

Q: Is it public service or the public purse and municipal skirts used against the public interest?

It is not in the Salt Lake City residents’ interest, Salt Lake County “surplus” water customers’ interest, Wasatch County residents’ interest for a self-regulated Billion Dollar Public Utility to hoard water, to lobby using dark lobby contracts, to sue to restrict the transferability of water decreasing competition in order to double charge for water.

SLC’S Water Utility is an un-welcome member of Utah’s water cartel, because it fails to be competitive, fails to be transparent, and sponsors protests and lawsuits to disrupt the transferability of water for SLC’s gain.

East Jordan(controlled by SLC), Salt Lake City, Provo River Water Users (controlled by SLC) v Payson City/ Utah State Engineer was SLC’s attacked on the transferability of water using the pretext of water title. 6 SLC Lawyers were used against the transfer of Payson’s 38.5 shares of East Jordan.

BOR’s counter claim against Strawberry was an attack on the transferability of water using the pretext of water title.

Holliday Water Company when looking at shareholder’s 73-3-3.5 water transfer requests was threatened by SLC with a lawsuit if Holliday should even attempt to file a water transfer.

Silver Fork Pipeline Water Company as told by SLC it could not run a  new water line to the new Salt Lake County Unified Fire Station near Brighton.

The Shontz Estate developing the Patsey Marley claim was told no transferring water from one mine tunnel to another by SLC.

Cottonwood High School, a SLC “surplus” water customer,  was denied a connection transfer to cheaper Holliday water.

Brown Ditch was pressured by SLC into withdrawing a pending water transfer.

Union and East Jordan was pressured by SLC into withdrawing a pending water transfer.

Sandy Irrigation was pressured by SLC into denying a shareholder’s water transfer request.

Sandy City was pressured by SLC into funding an expensive water title lawsuit against 4.5 acre-feet of water in order to stop the transfer of water.

Recent 2010 S.B. 99 which slightly expanded the transferability of water was torpedoed by SLC behind the scenes. (03/07/2010 lawyer bill to SLC re: Senate Bill 99 and [Representative] Patrick Painter’s concerns with apparent City opposition to bill.”

SLC RESIDENTS PAY ABOUT $48 MILLION FOR WATER WHICH INCLUDES $15.83 MILLION IN SLC WATER DISTRICT TAXES, SLC WATER FRANCHISE FEES, AND SLC WATERSHED SURCHARGE FEES.

When SLC Public Utilities says it is independent and receives no tax support, SLC is misleading its residents.  SLC residents are paying $13.4 Million in water taxes on SLC property.

In other words, SLC spends millions and million on lawsuits to hoard water, to stop the transferability of water not to provide lower cost, high quality water to SLC residents and County “surplus” water customers like Cottonwood Heights, Alta, Brighton, Solitude, and Snowbird, but to double SLC’s water revenue.

NON-TRANSFERABLE WATER REDUCES COMPETITION BY ARTIFICIALLY CREATING SCARCITY WHICH ALLOWS SLC TO CHARGE DOUBLE FOR WATER.

Public servants are using the public purse and city skirts to restrict free market water in order to charge their “customers” more for water. SLC Public Utilities has salaries higher than Governor Herbert’s and layers upon layers of lawyers, PR, lobbyists, and water bureaucrats. Pet-eco projects like the federalization of Utah land with more wilderness designations, anti-dog agendas, and to promote elite back country use of the canyons.

From 2005 TO 2009 the SLC Public Utility credited (transferred) $24,107,540.88 to the Salt Lake City General Fund, or about $5 Million per year.  This $5 Million includes about $2 Million in a water franchise fee.  SLC residents also pay $6.7 Million in Salt Lake City Metropolitan Water District taxes, $6.73 Million in CUP water district taxes,  plus $1/3 Million in SLC watershed surcharges.

$5 Million to the General Fund is why the City Council turns a blind eye to SLC Public Utilities enterprising actions of water hoarding to over charge SLC residents for water.  The SLC Council views the County “surplus” customers, and Wasatch County residents fair game.

1. SLC residents pay double for water.
2. County residents pay double for water and are over charged $5.2 Million under the SLC Metropolitan Water District tax off-set game.
3. Wasatch County residents have already paid over $4 Million to SLC Public Utilities to use so-called “SURPLUS” Public water.

*$100 Million is about SLC Public Utilities annual revenue plus the $36 Million in annual revenue from Salt Lake City & Sandy Metropolitan Water District which is controlled by SLC Public Utilities. SLC has 5 of 7 Metro. board seats.  Plus,  $2 Million in annual estimated revenue from Provo River Water Users Association (PRWUA). 61.7% of PRWUA is owned by Salt Lake City & Sandy Metropolitan Water District.  PRWUA claimed its a private water company and would not make its operating budget or lobby contracts available to the public.  PRWUA Board is effectively controlled by SLC Public Utilities control of 8 of 11 board seats.

Who wouldn’t want to self-regulate a Billion dollar Utility with $138 Million in water utility revenue? What $138 million city utility wouldn’t want blanket immunity from Anti-trust on operations outside city corporate limits?  SLC Public Utilities self-regulation has failed SLC’s residents and “surplus” water customers who pay double for water. Comparable competitors like Jordan Valley, Provo City, and Orem provide the same high quality water at half the cost.  Why? Because of effective oversight by real public servants.

Today (May 2010), SLC Public Utilities proposes a 5% water rate increase “generating $2.5 million in additional funding.  The average household will experience an increase of approximately $1.50 per month.” SLCDPU colored brochure 2010  With 90,000 connections, that generates $1.35 million more in water revenue.

“Approximately 3% of customers will be affected” by a new fourth tiered water rate.  Who are these 3% “customers” who will pay an additional $1.15 million?  The U of U, Catholic Church, LDS Church, High Schools, Jr. High Schools, Elementary Schools, and businesses.  SLC’s new 4th tier won’t apply to 97%, but only 3%.   The truth is the 97% also pay the water bills of the 3% which are institutions.  Hiding predatory utility rates in 3% of the bills does not reduce the costs to the members of the institutions.

SLC’s General Fund will receive about $90,000 from SLC’s 6% water franchise fee.  What City Council member is going to turn down an extra $90,000 per year in free money “to invest in Our Future”?

City Councils cannot provide effective oversight when city coffers get a cut of the utility action.  City utility customers have no effective protections from utility over charging.  SLC Public Utilities $100 Million yearly revenue should be regulated by the Public Service Commission.

Who could have imagined a City Public Utility with $100 million in self-regulated utility revenue where the so-called City oversight gets a cut of the utility action for the general fund?

“WE DON’T TAKE THIS LIGHTLY” claims SLC’s Public Utility in its May 2010 rate increase PR brochure.  How can the SLC Public Utility explain away its big government waste and inefficiencies? Jordan Valley Water Conservation District (formerly Salt Lake County Water Conservation District), Provo City, and Orem City provide the same high quality water for half the cost.  SLC can’t explain that, but it can attack the messenger.

Orem operates a water utility with less than half the staff per connection.  SLC has 1 employee per 346 connections.  Orem has 1 employee per 833 connections. Orem’s water district tax 1/8th of SLC’s water district tax.

Why does SLC compare it water costs to San Diego, Seattle, Oakland, Albuquerque, Portland, Phoenix and Denver and not Orem, Provo, or Jordan Valley?  Because the mis-management would be so clear that Mayor Ralph Becker and the Council would have actually cut the fat in the Public Utility Department.  Who want’s to mess with the $5 million cash to the General Fund cow even though SLC residents, County residents, and Wasatch County residents are the ones being milked?

The beautiful June 2010 rate increase brochure is fluffery and feel goodery without meaningful or credible data points.  No proposed actual water rates are listed. The new proposed 4th tier rate is missing. The 3% affected by the new 4th tier are not identified.  SLC short sizes its water rates which  are not in 1,000 gallon units, but 100 cf which is 748 gallons. Short sizing keeps the price appearing low by reducing product size.  100 CF water billing is like thinking your buying 1 gallon but only getting 3 quarts.

Call Mayor Ralph Becker at 801-535-7704: Please fix SLC’s  water department, stop hoarding water, stop charging double for water, and stop the water war against the transferability of water, and competition.

But the Mayor won’t because the money generated by an self-regulated utility is like an  endless ATM machine.  $2 million per week in self-regulated utility revenue is too much of a good thing and a good time.  SLC’s self-regulation has harmed Salt Lake City residents and Salt Lake County residents by charging double for basic water services.  Mayor Becker, “we have a good thing going and we intend to keep it that way.”

SONG OF A  SLC “WATER ENTERPRISE UTILITY” GONE SOUTH

Hoard for profit, exaggerate for gain, self-oversight there is no shame. City badges hide our corporate game. Double charging, overstaffed, half of our employees are not on task. Self-regulated, bloated, cronies, goodies, water junkets and more. The public is gouged.  Our “non-profits” soar. Water wastes while lawns turn brown.  SLC’S coffers are the greenest in town. No water inventories, ever changing stories. SLC has a water ATM machine making hidden profit like the public has not seen. Up charges, surcharges, 6% franchise fees, picnic fees, $1208 per acre-foot “conservation” rates, watershed fees, high water district taxes while the Council relaxes.  Send us your big water checks.  We didn’t raise your property taxes. The water revenue gusher is never enough. Tough on residents, soft on management.  It’s just a revenue game with no one to blame. $5 Million in “non-profits” go to the General Fund each year. That’s just a city snack the residents fear.  Doubling the water water revenue is a self-regulated utilities’ dream. Serving the public is keen. SLC’s serving up the public is mean.

Ca-Ching, Ca-Chong, Utah’s Water Is Gone: POEM to SLC’S Self-Regulated Billion Dollar Water Utility

I think I shall never see an “Enterprise Utility” as profitable as a water monopoly. Self-regulated, crony oversight, I raise my own salary.   It’s out of sight. A little environmental policy makes it all right. The PSC has no oversight.  Water conservation makes the “customers” feel good. Paying more for less like they should. Under worked and overpaid, I have to go to Vegas (Caesars Palace)  for a meeting I made. Lawyers jump when I enter the room.  I dole out their millions with a city broom. Watershed protection keeps me and good ole boy’s well fed.  I control development. I decide who gets water.  I protect the city water so I can charge double.  I control the Council.  The Council does not control me.  Water in a pipe with a meter is too complex for them you see. Revenues are up.  Demand is down.  I look like the smartest guy in town.  I sell water at the highest cost. I make the city money not a penny is lost.  Hoarding water keeps my revenue up and my competition down.  Artificial scarcity is my public servant’s clown. I am the boss.  I am the big cheese.  I sue whoever I please. With a dozen lawyers ready night and day. I’ll sue you mother, father, sister or brother any day for transferring water without my say. Lobby, PR, media, dog crisis and water costs soar. I stop water transfers and more. I control Utah’s water door.  Competitors, cities, and legislators look out.  My dark lobby contracts are not about.  Anti-trust does not apply to me you see.  Cause, I’ve got the green. I’ve got the cash. I control SLC’s water ATM machine.  I lobby the legislature night and day, but they can’t see how the game is played. You won’t see my name on a water bill like HB 51 which was my deal, because I work behind the scenes.  SB 99 went down in flames. I said I’d support SB 99 to get my tax bill passed, but broke my word and killed the bill after my tax bill passed.  Water is money  for our city you see. It pays the bills for my friends and me.  My neighbors pay double, but that’s not my trouble.  I’m paid to protect them from low cost, high quality water like Jordan Valley’s, Orem’s, and Provo’s. Cause I’m Utah’s big water boss. Bing, bong, I’m gone to Orlando, San Diego, Sun Valley or Atlanta for a “meeting.” Ca-Ching, Ca-Chang, Ca-Chong. Utah’s water is gone.

UTAH’S TOP WATER HOARDER IS SALT LAKE CITY’S “WATER ENTERPRISE FUND.”

This is an expose about the exploitation of public water resources against the public interest by SLC’S “Enterprise Water Utility”  doubling water revenue of SLC by decreasing competitive competition using lawsuit to stop the transfer of water.

CLICK ON TOP OF  PICTURES TO VIEW ARTICLES

1 of the 245 Utah municipal water departments, Salt Lake City’s un-regulated water enterprise utility, has gone rogue against the public good of SLC residents, SL County residents, and Wasatch County residents.  There are no independent oversight protections and no water inventories.  There is no accountability with circular oversight by entrenched cronies.  Each layer of control has another set of lawyers controlled by the SLC “water enterprise fund.”

CLICK ON TOP OF  PICTURES TO VIEW ARTICLES

Salt Lake City operates a water independent “enterprise fund” in every sense of the word.  SLC is operating an over aggressive utility business behind the city corporate shield.  Watershed is really walletshed to justify over-staffing and personal extreme environmental agendas like the promotion of congress controlling our local canyons.   The SLC Water Department is and has gamed Utah water resources by exaggerating demand, and understating supply to amass a hoard of water rights used to exact a “surplus water tax” from non-SLC residents and control planning & zoning on land outside its corporate limits.

Click on icon to view TV Spot aired in Salt Lake County, Utah.

An example of SLC Water Department’s exaggeration (”informational asymmetry”) is “SLC may need another 180,000 Acre-feet Through 2050?  made on December 10, 2007 on KCPW Radio.  Just five months previous, SLC stated on KCPW Radio that SLC had enough water through 2050.

For perspective, 180,000 acre-feet is about the annual yield of two Deer Creek Reservoirs  or enough water for a population increase of 650,000.  SLC’s 2010 population is 180,000.  The Utah State Data Center projects SLC’s 2040 population at 213,000.   Salt Lake City will never reach a population of 830,000.  Why would SLC say it needs water for 830,000 people?

SLC’s “water enterprise fund” routinely says it provides water to 400,000 people.  It reports to the Utah Division of Water Rights that it uses 75,000 acre-feet of water.  Using these numbers, another 180,000 acre-feet of water is enough for another 960,000 people. 960,000 people + 400,000 people = 1,360,000 or 1.36 million people.

That is over half of Utah’s current population.  There is no credibility to the numbers and statements put out by the SLC “Water Enterprise Fund.”

A good solid estimate is 91,000 connections x 2.5 people per connection for a total of 227,500 people.

Click on Play icon above to watch Video hosted by Youtube.com

SLC has filed water claims in six counties from the Weber River in Davis and Weber County to the Duchesne River in Uinta County.  The Colorado River escaped; however, SLC is a member of the Colorado River Water Users Association with a Las Vegas annual convention.

Salt Lake City Public Utilities is not a city water department, but a regular business fronting as a city water department.  It claims immunity for anti-trust and un-fair business practices, pays no property tax, pays no tax on profits, has no state or county regulation oversight, hand picks its crony overseers, has a separate bank account and is separated from SLC in every way except for a city charter for special privileges used to ramp up profits.  Just imagine Exxon with a city charter.  Loop holes like U.C.A. 10-8-14 are exploited to bill $400,000 to Wasatch County residents each year.  There is no transparency of water associations like Provo River Water Users Association (Deer Creek) controlled by the SLC water enterprise fund.  PRWUA claims immunity from GRAMA though the board is substantially all city employees.  PRWUA has dark lobby contracts not open to the public.

A dark lobby contract is a lobby contract executed by government employees which is not open to public inspection. In Provo River Water Users Association  we have city water employees lobbying the legislature to change water law to concentrate water into fewer hands without public disclosure to legislature or public of who funded the lobbyist, how much the lobbyist is paid, and what the lobbyist is lobbying for.  Public water dollars substantially fund Provo River Water Users Association, but Provo River Water Users Association records are dark meaning not open to public inspection.

Who wouldn’t want a business like this?  A monopoly on water sales without regulation where you set your own salaries, your own retirement, your own benefits, your own meetings, your own schedules, no management time cards, and no accountability to any completely independent oversight body.   Once a year you appear before the Council who always approves your “budget” and that’s the extent of “city oversight.”   The SLC “Water Enterprise Fund” has cowed the City Council into believing the Council provides no oversight and the “Water Enterprise Fund” is independent. In fact, you can even sue your own city using your water district which SLC’s water department did in 1963. (Metropolitan Water District of Salt Lake City vs. Salt Lake City 14 Utah 2d 171, 380 P.2d 721 (1963)

An example of  “Water Enterprise Fund” informational asymmetry is found in the 2009 Salt Lake City Public Utility Annual Report page 12 first paragraph: “The utilities do not receive tax support or transfers from Salt Lake City’s general fund.  Service fees are charged to cover operating costs and debt service.”

That’s good spin. The truth is Salt Lake City residents and business owners pay $6.7 million in Metropolitan Water District of Salt Lake & Sandy taxes.  These water taxes are collected by the Salt Lake County Treasurer from Salt Lake City residents and transferred to Salt Lake City’s water district.  This $6.7 million dollars is effectively credited toward Salt Lake City wholesale water  purchases for retail sale to SLC residents.  If this $6.7 million in property water tax were collected, then SLC resident water bills would be even higher by over $6.7 million per year. In reality, not only do Salt Lake City residents have high water costs but they are also paying a water tax effectively credited to the SLC “Water Enterprise Fund.”

Salt Lake City residents also pay $6.73 Million in Central Utah Water Conservation District (CUP) water taxes which are partially credited to the CUP water Salt Lake City uses.  Factoring out the $15.8 million in hidden water taxes water franchise fee, and watershed fee, Salt Lake City water costs are really 50% higher.  The  so-called 6% SLC Water Franchise fee (for water lines in city roads) is no more than a tax on a essential utility.

The millions in “non-profits” are wasted on double and triple staffing, a cadre of lawyers, PR people, lobbyists, and water conference junkets.  All this is to maintain SLC’s water money game–money for high salaries, money for make work jobs, money for over staffing, money for lavish retirement benefits, money for SLC coffers, money for pet eco-projects, and money to influence legislation to concentrate water in the hands of a few water czars.

ALL LAND IS WATERSHED.

NO WATER FOR YOUR LAND.  NO ACCESS FOR YOUR LAND. YOUR LAND IS WORTHLESS.  WE’LL TAKE IT FOR PENNIES ON THE DOLLAR. CYLE BUXTON WAS TICKETED 39 TIMES AND OFFERED PENNIES ON THE DOLLAR FOR HIS CARDIFF CANYON LAND.

“Each of these citations carries a maximum penalty of 5,000 fine and 6 months in jail.” Attorney Gary B. Ferguson.  39 tickets could be $195,000 in fines and 19.5 years in jail.

Who is the “Water Enterprise Fund”  employee pushing this extreme agenda against Cyle Buxton, Scout Master, High School Wrestling Coach, Business Owner, Family Man,  in the name of so-called watershed protection? Or is the targeting of Cyle Buxton a SLC Ordinance?

EXTREME “WATERSHED” POLICY IS USED TO EXPLOIT AND CONFISCATE PRIVATE LAND WITHOUT FAIR COMPENSATION.

WATERSHED (“WALLETSHED”) IS A WATER BUREAUCRAT’S TOOL TO CONCENTRATE CONTROL OF WATER & LAND IN THE HANDS OF FEW FOR THEIR GAIN.

In the 1970’s the tax hungry bureaucrats trumpeted anti-global cooling laws to combat the impending ice age caused by the US taxpayer lifestyle resulting in man’s global dimming.  ( No kidding, it was really “global dimming.”) In 2010, the tax hungry bureaucrats trumpet anti-global warming laws to combat earth’s impending hot doom.  Minimizing pollution is always a wise health policy. However, regulating BTU’s for global cooling, global dimming, global warming, or climate change is a regulation for revenue scheme hatched by bureaucrats to pin global weather changes on 307 million US taxpayers (4.6% of Earth’s population) out of  7,000 million people much like SLC’s extreme watershed dogma. The US Congress can’t control its own dollar printing press let alone earth’s weather.  Throwing freshly printed US tax dollars into the climate volcano will not change the weather.

If global cooling or global warming could be linked by science to the US taxpayer, then it can be justifiably regulated and  taxed.  Global cooling legislation makes the point clearly that global warming legislation is only a regulation and tax scheme.  If water quality could be primarily linked to watershed, then the water bureaucrats would have the final say for all planning and zoning.   This was the very extreme card SLC played at the 2002 Winter Olympics.  So instead of nice Olympic facilities in Big and Little Cottonwood Canyon, SLC gives use 4.5 miles of de-watered creeks, un-safe 8 to 9 mile Cul-de-sac canyons, ramshackle housing, no $99,000 low income condos and  no $10 million condos.  SLC’s  water quality-watershed propaganda is not in the public interest.

One can take a diesel belching UTA bus 9 miles up Big Cottonwood Canyon, but he can’t get out off the bus to touch a pine cone in the watershed without a Save The Pine Cone bandanna purchased from Salt Lake City’s GREEN environmental boutique.

Driving on a paved road won’t harm the watershed.  Driving on a dirt road will harm the watershed.  SLC is vehemently opposed to paving roads in the  watershed.  Translation: SLC is an environmental elitist.  Back country enthusiasts like Mayor Ralph Becker are in.  All others stay out to protect the watershed. In a nut shell this, and SLC’s thirst for dollars is driving the extreme canyon policies funded by squeezing double water dollars from residents, and “surplus” water customers in three counties (Salt Lake, Wasatch, Summit) outside Salt Lake City boundaries.

SLC’s Water Department is effectively independent of SLC.  The SLC City Council merely rubber stamps the SLC Water Department budget once a year providing no meaningful oversight.  As long as the $5 million per year is transferred (”credited”) to  SLC’s general coffer, then the SLC Water Department has free reign. It really isn’t a city water department, but a business with a municipal charter getting a cut of the action with no independent oversight nor Public Service Commission oversight of any kind.  It’s water for double dollars. $1 for the real costs and $1 for fat and political agendas.

$19 million a year is an estimate of the excess water costs  to Utahns (City, County, and Wasatch County residents) based on a $20 inefficiency and overcharging per bill per connection.  SLC generates approx. 936,096 monthly bills per year.  Do the math.

(936,096 bills x $20 = $18,721,920)  Gaming and hoarding water makes SLC money.  SLC’s  gaming of state water resources is not right.  SLC’s hoards water to exact a “surplus water tax on non-SLC residents and control land outside SLC corporate limits.  This is against the Public good.

SL County “surplus” water customers not only pay high water costs but are over charged about $5.2 million per year.

If the math shows County customers are being under charged, then how long would it take the Salt Lake City Council to raise County water rates?

If the math shows County customers are being over charged, then how long would it take Salt Lake City Council to decrease County water rates?

Salt Lake County “surplus” water customers are entitled to an immediate 22.5% rate reduction ($5.2 million rate reduction) plus a refund of approximately $5 million over charge per year for the past 6 years.

That is only part of the “surplus” water  overcharge issue.  The other part is that SLC  was collecting a property tax offset from County customers so SLC property owners would be made whole.  But the property owners paying the water tax on County water don’t receive the tax collected.  The problem with gaming things all the time is that the property tax offset collected from County water customers is due pro rata to SLC property owners.  Property owners are not necessarily water users.  A $10 million apt owner pays his full share of Salt Lake City Metro property tax.

A portion of that tax is collected from the Salt Lake County water users in the form of a SLC Metro upcharge; however, the $10 million apt owner does not receive a pro rata water property tax refund.  SLC keeps all the money.  Over  8 years at $2 million per year fair share offset from County customers is $16 million due SLC property owners not SLC water users.

Salt Lake City told County “surplus” water customers that their 35% up charge was based on non-SLC residents not paying their fair share of the Metropolitan Water District of Salt Lake & Sandy .035% tax.  In 2006, the total Metro water district tax paid by SLC residents was about $5,181,394.

In reality, the County water customer’s fair shares is $1.7 million not the $6.9 million being charged by SLC. SLC is gaming County residents for an extra $5.2 million per year using artifice and gimmickry.  It’s all about money, money, money and control for an overstaffed, wasteful and inefficient Salt Lake City Water Department.

“Before the vote, there was much public comment on both sides. Many Salt Lake County residents were miffed that they pay more for water than city customers. Given the uproar, the council decided to reduce county customers’ rates from 1.5 times what the city resident pays to 1.35 times what city residents pay. The extra amount is to compensate for property tax payments that city residents pay to the Metropolitan Water District of Salt Lake.” “S.L. boosts water rates for wasters.” Deseret News April 23, 2003.

On March 18, 2010 the SLC “water enterprise fund” was asked for the record of the amount to Metropolitan Water District of Salt Lake & Sandy tax collected from SLC properties “for the time period of 2002 to 2009 used to calculate the up charge or rate restructuring for Salt Lake County water customers.”

On April 1, 2010, the SLC “water enterprise fund” GRAMA response was: “No record.”

How could SLC calculate the fair share of Metro tax the County water customers were not paying if it does not know the amount collected?  The SLC “water enterprise fund” GRAMA response lacks credibility.

If the math had gone Salt Lake City’s way and the County “surplus” water customers were being undercharged 22.5%, then Salt Lake City would not hesitate to increase the water rates to collect what was fair.  Why isn’t the reverse true? The math is the math. Salt Lake City should be as inclined to decrease the rates as increase the rates according to the math.  Let’s see how this goes.

Salt Lake City’s Water Department has gamed and hoarded so much water that it’s a  joke.

Recently, there was good news reported by CNN, BBC, NPR, and USA Today that water was found on the moon.

The bad news was Salt Lake City claimed they owned the water, declared it “surplus,” and offered a “surplus” water contract to NASA subject to NASA not developing on the moon.  The Martians using the water since  Global Warming caused the moon to be habitable protested SLC’s.

(SLC “surplus” water is SLC water sold outside Salt Lake City limits for “surplus” millions of water dollars.)

SLC’s Water Department sued the Martians.  SLC Water Dept. issued aluminum hats to protect City residents from the Martian mind meld while litigation pends.

The Martians filed a GRAMA request for SLC aluminum hat purchase orders.  SLC’s GRAMA officer wearing an aluminum hat declared, “No record.”

Seriously,  Salt Lake City has claimed their neighbors’ future need for water in order to hoard water SLC can never use except for “surplus water sales” to non-SLC residents.

SLC’s water hoarding foreclosed their neighbors’ ability to obtain their fair share of free public water rights like SLC did under the appropriation process.

These neighbors are forced to pay SLC a  “surplus water tax” for water they should rightfully  own.

Here is the impact. Eventually tired of high water costs, the trapped cities want to become water independent.  Struggling to become water independent means millions in bonds to buy water rights which would otherwise be free if not hoarded by current so-called “surplus” water suppliers.  John and Jane Doe not only pay high costs but now their home is now mortgaged with a water bond to buy a state water resource their city should of had for free.  But SLC has hoarded so much water as to prematurely close the water basin.  This is a double gain for SLC and a double loss for the Public.

Salt Lake City has enough water for about 600,000 people, but a population of only 180,000.  Not Salt Lake City, but the CUP, and Jordan Valley Water Conservation District will supply the future water demand of Salt Lake County.  This and wall to wall cities have made Salt Lake City’s grand water scheme to supply water to a population over 400,000 un-necessary just like Salt Lake County Sheriff Department over built and over planned only to find new cities wanted local police control instead.

The result of SLC’s exaggerated planning has resulted in SLC residents paying double and triple for water to pay for an over built water supply system for future customers now claimed by Jordan Valley, the CUP, and wall to wall cities.  SLC’s water hoard is now gamed for profit using so-called “surplus” water sales. Laws are skirted so SLC can reap profit at the public’s expense.

These so-called “non-profits” are consumed by SLC’s big government waste and inefficiencies.  The “surplus” water rights should have reverted to the State for re-appropriation to those really using the water like Alta, Cottonwood Heights, and Wasatch County who are now being gamed and exploited by Salt Lake City for gain.

Why would the Salt Lake City Council allow its “water enterprise fund” to game Utah’s water for profit  and expose SLC to huge liabilities from the court and legislature?  Why would “surplus” SLC water customers have to pay extra millions and millions each year because SLC has hoarded Utah’s water resources?

It may be clever, crafty,  and shrewd, but ill got gain always must be repaid.  $5.2 million per year in water overcharges since 2003 by gaming the system creates  huge liabilities for SLC.  With treble damages in some cases, the liability potential is staggering.

How could City Council members be so ill advised as to allow a rogue water department to harm SLC residents with double water costs and liability costs?  And all this to perpetuate extreme, unbalanced, and un-sound policies and practices with no public benefit.

Hooton hears a Who.  A land owner is land owner, no matter how small.  Who is entitled to some water.

10 lawyers are billing and battling over 5 acre-feet of water in Alta because of SLC’s water department. (3rd District Court Civil No. 090921163)

The Utah Supreme Court is sitting on another “title” dispute to 4.5 acre-feet of water (about 1 water share) because of SLC’s water department. (Utah Supreme Court Appeal No. 20090451) That’s 1 Supreme Court Justice per 1 acre-foot.

Why would SLC Water Dept.  chose to expose SLC residents to such liabilities to keep its double water costs on SLC residents?  The “surplus water taxes” collected from other cities like Cottonwood Heights, Alta, and Wasatch County residents have not lowered  water costs. Hoarding water to keep Cottonwood Heights, Alta, and Wasatch County water dependent is not in the public interest.  The only answer is money, money, money, and power.

At some point in time SLC will have to return the ill got gain and the hoarded water back to its rightful owner–the Public.  SLC’s hoarding and gaming of water is not in the public interest and is at cross purpose with Salt Lake City’s good reputation.

Salt Lake City residents who already face double water costs and drink legal bills on a daily basis will be forced to pick up the tab for SLC Water Department’s poor behavior.

Click on Play icon above to watch Video hosted by Youtube.com

Salt Lake City has 5 of 7 board seats on the Metropolitan Water

District of Salt Lake & Sandy, 8 of 11 board seats on the Provo

River Water Users Association (Deer Creek), controls East Jordan

Irrigation Company, and  2 of 5 board seats (1 SLC + 1 EJIC) on Board of Canal Presidents (Utah Lake).

SLC has 6 of 7 Alta Planning Commission seats.  If SLC can’t directly control water boards, then SLC attorneys are used to indirectly control water boards.

SLC’s water machine sought to take over the CUP board as it tried to grab title to the new $150 million Murdock pipe in Utah County.  The CUP is a 10 county water district with 5 of 18 board seats filled by Salt Lake County.

Water commissioners like Ed Higbee were direct SLC employees biased against non-SLC water users. SLC water $$ flow to the Forest Service, and water $$ flow to Salt Lake County for additional influence, cross pollenization, and concentration of SLC’s water power.

Hoarding water is good for the City’s coffers, but bad for City, County, and State pocket  books.

Water costs are double for Cottonwood Heights and County Customers.  Ski tickets cost more.  Alta’s water costs more. Wasatch County’s water costs more. Higher education at the U of U costs more.

How much excess profit do you pay per month?

What price should the Salt Lake City water monopoly charge?

Salt Lake County “customers,” tired of high water rates?

Call Mayor Peter Corroon 801-468-2500

“We have no Public Service Commission protections, and no voice on the SLC Council. SLC water is self-regulated. Cut my water rate in half.”

Salt Lake City “customers,” tired of high

water rates?  Call the City Council 801-535-7600

“Our water costs are twice Jordan Valley’s, and triple Orem’s and Provo’s. Our water taxes are 8 times Orem’s. Our Water Dept. is over double staffed. Please cut the staff and cut our water costs. Have Jordan Valley, Provo, or Orem do an efficiency audit of SLC Public Utilties”

Please help by calling Governor Gary Herbert’s Office

801-538-1045. Leave the message:

“Please take the State’s hoarded water back from Salt Lake City. Save Wasatch County residents $400,000 per year, save the U of U $1.2 million per year, and Salt Lake County residents millions per year.”

$20 in excess costs per  monthly bill over 93,000 connection generate 1,116,000 bills annually.  $22.3 Million in excess water costs potential  per year. Over 25 years, the excess costs is $557.5 million dollars overcharged because of water hoarding.

Incremental cost increases over large populations generate enormous PROFITS.  SLC Public Utility “franchise fees” generate about $3 million per year.

How much excess costs and excess profits are

City and County “customers” paying?

Up to $25 million dollars per year? It’s a management decision.

What price should the Salt Lake City water monopoly charge?

Because Salt Lake City water monopoly has no competition,

how are Big-Government waste, inefficiencies, and fat reduced

while maintaining low cost, high quality water with good service?

Big-Government waste and inefficiency or economies of scale and efficient operations.

It’s a management decision. Water monopolies want to at least

appear fair, but SLC water rates are not fair.

How much excess costs and excess profits are

City and County “customers” paying?

Up to $25 million dollars per year? It’s a management decision.

What price should the Salt Lake City water monopoly charge?

Because Salt Lake City water monopoly has no competition,

how are Big-Government waste, inefficiencies, and fat reduced

while maintaining quality water and good service?

Big-Government waste and inefficiency or economies of scale and efficient operations.

It’s a management decision. Water monopolies want to at least

appear fair, but are the rates fair and efficient?

Proposed are 5 compounding rate increases of

4%, 5%, 4%, 4%, and 4% over the next 5 years

capturing an estimated additional $36 million

for the enterprise fund SLC water utility.

Exploiting monopoly to charge what the market will bear,

or providing an essential basic service with the highest

efficiency and lowest cost to the public—It’s a management decision.

Salt Lake City offered the State of Utah free land and

water to relocate the Capital to Salt Lake City.

After decades of economic benefit and increased access to

State Government, the SLC Water Department sued the State

to break its word and free water agreement and lost.

The SLC Water Department sued 2,400 Utah Lake

water users,  sued Payson City,  and even sued its own

Metropolitan Water District of Salt Lake City which is an indication

that Salt Lake City does not control its own water department.

Suing the State was a management decision.

SLC dissolved the Butler Ditch, and transferred its water up Big Cottonwood Canyon for “surplus” water sales.  Only SLC can transfer water up Big Cottonwood Canyon. No one else can or SLC will sue you.  SLC spent 100 years to gain 100% control of Big Cottonwood Creek of which approximately 57% is not treated for drinking water.

UtahWater.net–public advocacy for Water Rights reform, for reduced water costs, for a level the playing field, and for water independence for all of Utah’s 245 cities and towns.

Water monopoly wastes water, creates artificial scarcity, artificial high water rates, increases property taxes, and business costs for all Utahs citizenry.

We all pay for water monopoly.

HIDDEN WATER:

1,857 GALLONS OF WATER USED TO PRODUCE ONE POUND OF BEEF

1,382 GALLONS OF WATER USED TO PRODUCE  ONE POUND OF SAUSAGE

756 GALLONS OF WATER USED TO PRODUCE ONE POUND OF PORK

589 GALLONS OF WATER USED TO PRODUCE ONE POUND OF PROCESSED CHEESE

469 GALLONS OF WATER USED TO PRODUCE ONE POUND OF CHICKERN

400 GALLONS OF WATER USED TO PRODUCE ONE POUND OF EGGS

371 GALLONS OF WATER USED TO PRODUCE ONE POUND OF FRESH CHEESE

2,900 GALLONS OF WATER USED TO PRODUCE ONE PAIR OF BLUE JEANS

2,800 GALLONS OF WATER USED TO PRODUCE ONE COTTON BEDSHEET

766 GALLONS OF WATER USED TO PRODUCE ONE T-SHIRT

634 GALLONS OF WATER USED TO PRODUCE ONE HAMBURGER

37 GALLONS OF WATER USED TO PRODUCE ONE CUP OF COFFEE

808,400 GALLONS OF WATER FOR 18,700 POUNDS OF PASTURE, FEED, AND HAY + 6,300 GALLONS FOR DRINKING + 1,900 GALLONS FOR CLEANING STABLES AND FARMYARDS = 816,600 GALLONS OF WATER USED DURING THE LIFE OF A BEEF COW OR ABOUT 3 ACRE-FEET PER BEEF COW.

SOURCES: ARJEN Y HOEKSTRA AND ASHOK K. CHAPAGAIN, GLOBALIZATION OF WATER, WATER FOOTPRINT NETWORK, UNIVERSITY OF TWENTE NETHERLANDS, WATERFOOTPRINT.ORG

April 08, 2010 by Maeve Reston, David Zahniser and Phil Willon

L.A. Council Members Seek More Power Over DWP

Proposals include taking control of the agency’s budget and limiting the mayor’s power to appoint board members.  The city controller announces a four-week audit of the utility’s power operation.

“City Council members sought to tighten their grip over Los Angeles’ public utility Wednesday, after an influential Wall Street firm lowered the city’s bond rating in part on “the increased political contention” swirling around the budget at City Hall.

With council members angry about the refusal of executives at the Department of Water and Power to turn over $73.5 million in “surplus revenue” that they were counting on to help balance the budget, City Controller Wendy Greuel announced that she would immediately conduct a four-week audit of the utility’s power operation.”

Salt Lake City’s “Water Enterprise Fund” also mistakenly thinks it is not subject to City Council oversight.  The public elects Council members to oversee and protect them from the actions of the city employees.  City employees do not control the City.  The City Council controls the city employees including the SLC “Water Enterprise Fund.”

On April 14, 2010, Pat Mulroy, Director of Southern Nevada Water Authority said: “They can’t spell conservation in Salt Lake City.”  “Utahns are blowing through water like they’ve won a liquid lottery.”  “Have you been to Salt Lake City?  “It’s the most pastoral place you’ve ever been to; homes on quarter-acre lots, surrounded by grass–looks like Las Vegas did in the ’60’s.”  Link to story: http://www.ksl.com/?nid=148&sid=10387603&pid=0

Should Las Vegas take Utah’s water?  No.

Of course, Director Pat Mulroy is venting her frustrations in dealing with government. Are any of Pat Mulroy’s criticisms of Salt Lake City valid?

Let’s look at it.

• Las Vegas 165 gallons per day per capita
• Los Angeles 125 gallons per day per capita
• Tuscon 114 gallons per day per capita
• Albuquerque 110 gallons per day per capita
• Salt Lake City 240 gallons per day per capita
• St. George 254 gallons per day per capita
• Denver 168 gallons per day per capita
• Phoenix 218 gallons per day per capita

(Source: Great Basin Water Network)

Of the 35,000 acre-feet of high water quality sewer effluent Salt Lake City generates each year, how many acre-feet are used by SLC?  None.

Las Vegas uses its sewer effluent, but SLC does not.  Would it be a fair statement to say that Las Vegas uses water more efficiently than SLC?  Yes, because Las Vegas has half the water of Utah; therefore, water is used more efficiently.

Can we learn something from Las Vegas about water conservation? Yes.  Our population with double but rainfall won’t.  Las Vegas is just 40 years ahead of Utah on the water conservation road.

It is in the public interest for Utah to restore the property right to a little water for all land with water without a state permit which Utah land once enjoyed.

Utah has double the annual rainfall of Nevada, yet Utah land has no right to any water without a state permit.  The state permit water process has been politicized, and bureaucratized by Utah’s water cartel not in the public interest.  Water wastes and land browns for no other reason that politics and self-serving water bureaucrats

The following is an except from Nevada Division of Water Rights as of July 30, 2010.

“Is a permit required to drill a domestic well within the State of Nevada?  (water.nv.gov)

No. Domestic wells are the only type of water well exempt from the State Engineer’s permitting process (Nevada Revised Statutes 534.080 and 534.180). Domestic use is defined as uses associated with culinary and household purposes directly related to a single-family dwelling, including, without limitation, the watering of a family garden and lawn and the watering of livestock and any other domestic animals or household pets, if the amount of water drawn does not exceed 1,800 gallons per day.

When is the drilling of a domestic well forbidden?

When the subject parcel of land can be physically and legally supplied water from a public water supply.

Can I have two or more homes served by a single domestic well?

No. Except for the provision described in NRS 534.185, domestic use as defined under NRS 534.013 is very specific in that the use is limited to one single-family dwelling. Multiple dwellings are considered a quasi-municipal use and thus, require a permit. A quasi-municipal well is often times referred to as a community well.

When can I file Proof of Beneficial Use?

After completion of the approved permitted manner of use.  If a totalizing meter was required in the permit terms, then twelve (12) consecutive months of meter readings must be submitted along with the Proof of Benefical Use.

Example 1:  Permit A is permitted for quasi-municipal purposes for 4 homes and a totalizing meter is required.  Twelve months after completion of all 4 homes and landscaping, the Proof of Beneficial Use may be submitted along with 12 months of meter readings.

Example 2:  Permit B is permitted for the irrigation of 10 acres and a totalizing meter is required.  After a crop is grown and harvested, the Proof of Beneficial Use may be submitted along with meter readings for the irrigation season during which the crop was grown.

Can I have more than one home on the same parcel of land?

That is a local government decision. There are counties within Nevada that allow more than one livable structure on the same parcel. You should check with the local governing body. However, if more than one structure is allowed on the same parcel, a domestic well can still only serve one dwelling and thus the number of domestic wells needed must match the number of dwellings being served. Septic tank concentration and well separation must be considered and must comply with local or state health laws.

If water service hook-up is available for my house, do I have to connect to the service?

The State Engineer may require the plugging of a domestic well drilled on or after July 1, 1981, at anytime one year after water can be furnished by a political subdivision of the State or a public utility regulated by the public utility commission of Nevada, but only if the connecting fees are less than $200 (NRS 534.180).  Exceptions for designated basins are noted in NRS 534.120.  However, it has been the Division’s policy to not require the hook-up to a water system until such time that the domestic well requires repair work requiring the setting-up of a well rig.”

Finally,

How many fish are killed each year by SLC’s overselling of Big Cottonwood Creek water? About 3 miles of Big Cottonwood Creek are de-watered each year by SLC’s “Water Enterprise Fund.”

County “surplus” water customers of SLC complain about $750 monthly summer water bills.  Yet these “customers” can’t vote out SLC Council member, because they have no voting rights in Salt Lake City.

For SLC residents self-regulation of a $138 million SLC Public Utility offers no real protections against waste, inefficiency, and over charging.

Utahwater.net challenges Mayor Ralph Becker and the Salt Lake City Council to hire Jordan Valley, Provo City, or Orem City to do an efficiency audit of Salt Lake City Public Utilities to cut water costs in half, to stop predatory utility rates,  and disgorge hoarded water back to the state so other cities may become water independent.