Backers of the proposal to build Utah’s Lake Powell Pipeline appear to have provided conflicting water use data to state and federal regulators in an apparent attempt to garner support for the project, an advocacy group claims.
In materials submitted to the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC), state officials have indicated that the Washington County Water Conservancy District’s customers consumed 325 gallons per day per person in 2010. That same filing projects that the per-capita water usage will decrease to 311 gallons per person by 2020. However, state officials also anticipate that the water district’s customer population will increase by more than 50,000, which is likely to cause total water use to increase to 68,450 acre feet, up from 50,380 acre feet in 2010.