Utah
Utah board approves ‘historic’ $190M in secondary water meter grants. Here’s why that matters
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Ormond Development crews set up secondary water meters in a subdivision in Woods Cross for the Weber Basin Water Conservancy District on Nov. 7, 2019. The Board of Water Assets authorized about $190 million price of grant cash to assist meter secondary water throughout the state. (Steve Griffin, Deseret Information)
Estimated learn time: 4-5 minutes
SALT LAKE CITY — The Utah Board of Water Assets on Thursday authorized $190 million in grants towards dozens of initiatives that may add about 114,000 meters, serving to cowl greater than half of the remaining unmetered secondary water connections within the state within the coming years.
The listing of initiatives was lengthy sufficient that the board heard and voted on all of them throughout three segments all through the day, together with different state water-related gadgets additionally introduced up earlier than the board.
“That is actually a historic day,” mentioned Candice Hasenyager, the director of the Utah Division of Water Assets, between periods of the assembly.
Secondary water is used particularly for irrigation methods, lawns, gardens, parks, landscapes or another open areas. There are about 260,000 secondary, outside water connections statewide; nevertheless, about 85% had been unmetered getting into the yr. Utah leaders have warned in regards to the want for water metering for years, noting that the shortage of metering makes it troublesome to actually understand how a lot water is getting used for secondary functions.
These meters are essential as a result of they will higher mission how lengthy into the irrigation season a sure water person can go earlier than working out of water. Hasenyager provides those that have water meters even have been capable of scale back water consumption by 20% to 30%.
“Once we add that up throughout the state, that complete (supplies) actually vital numbers,” she mentioned.
It is why the Utah Legislature authorized a plan earlier this yr to put aside $250 million in federal American Rescue Plan cash for secondary water metering within the state. The funds should be utilized by the top of 2026. The Legislature additionally handed a invoice requiring secondary water suppliers to have a meter on any secondary water connections by the beginning of 2030.
About 70 water conservancy districts and irrigation firms to municipalities and different water customers utilized for grants in the course of the preliminary spherical of funding, mentioned Marisa Egbert, a funding part supervisor with the Division of Water Assets.
One applicant, the Nation Basic Estates house owner affiliation in Bluffdale, withdrew its utility for $35,000 in grants for 42 of its secondary water connections simply earlier than it was up for approval Thursday afternoon, citing some questions it wanted to type out. It was the smallest of the proposed initiatives.
The 114,000 meters requested account for about 57% of the remaining unmetered secondary water connections, in accordance with Hasenyager. The authorized initiatives in the end cowl a bit greater than three-fourths of the allotted cash and have an estimated financial savings of about 54,000 acre-feet yearly as soon as all of the meters are put in within the subsequent few years, which equates to roughly 17.6 billion gallons of water — or the scale of a decent-sized reservoir.
“So consider East Canyon, consider Sand Hole,” Hasenyager mentioned. “This can be a large quantity and it’ll make a distinction (in) how we use water sooner or later.”
All grants can cowl as much as 70% of all the price of a mission, whereas an applicant should pitch in at the least a number of the remaining prices. A number of of the candidates on this spherical of funding additionally sought loans at 1% curiosity from the Utah Board of Water Assets.
Lehi, for instance, will obtain $10 million in grant funds, which is able to cowl most of its almost $14.3 million mission to put in 5,700 meters throughout its metropolis. It additionally obtained a low-interest mortgage to cowl greater than $3.6 million of the remaining price of the mission, which is estimated to cut back water consumption by 1,368 acre-feet yearly within the coming years.
The total listing of initiatives could be discovered right here.
As for logistics, Ronald Mortensen, representing the South Davis Water District, requested the board Thursday what might occur if a district runs into provide chain points, labor shortages or different financial components that would delay a mission from being accomplished by the top of 2026. After the primary assembly concluded, he additionally famous that taxpayers might must pony up the cash wanted to cowl the 30% that grants do not cowl, which could be burdensome for some residents.
Utah water officers mentioned mortgage funds can be made obtainable if candidates miss the 2026 deadline as a result of all grant cash will disappear then. Additionally they suggested that cities and water districts ought to ask round completely different metering producers as a result of some might have meters in inventory whereas others do not, to keep away from attainable setbacks brought on by materials shortages.
In the meantime, Egbert says all of the water saved by means of water metering can go towards the culinary provide as an alternative, which may help provide the water wanted for future growth as Utah continues to develop, as a result of much less water is used inside houses than exterior of them. The funds additionally assist state water officers take into consideration different water-saving initiatives past secondary metering.
There are nonetheless tens of hundreds of thousands of {dollars} left for this system, which she hopes can be utilized for the 43% of secondary sources not included in Thursday’s package deal. These locations may have till 2030 to adjust to Utah’s new regulation.
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Utah
Utah Made: Multi-generational ladder company still going strong
![Utah Made: Multi-generational ladder company still going strong](https://ewscripps.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/3580e15/2147483647/strip/true/crop/1280x672+0+24/resize/1200x630!/quality/90/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fx-default-stgec.uplynk.com%2Fause%2Fslices%2F566%2Fef205c0e5ea14d77944cbd6904335118%2F5665d67a422b4bcd8d819beb96c163fc%2Fposter_90693891642a4b1292d2fdbcbc19dcc2.jpg)
SPRINGVILLE, Utah — Art Wing still fondly remembers when his late dad Hal Wing, the founder of Little Giant Ladders, said: “If you concentrate on building the company and not the person, you will fail. If you concentrate on building the person, the company will take care of itself.”
That motto is still at Little Giant’s core today.
In the early 1970s, Hal was a salesman living in Germany, forging a friendship with an inventor who created a ladder that Hal thought was a technological marvel. He took the idea back to the United States, perfecting it and pattening it before heading out on the road.
“He bought a pinto station wagon and he loaded it with ladders, and he went on the road upwards of 250 days a year just selling them out of that thing,” Art recalled.
Art says the roadshow worked, and people quickly took note of their sturdy ladders and all they could do.
In 2002, Little Giant Ladders climbed to new heights by hitting television screens all over the country with an infomercial that often ran late at night and on weekend afternoons. It was a catchy ad that ran for 16 years and racked up sales of over a billion dollars in ladders sold.
Today, the Little Giant brand continues where it started, calling Utah home.
Company president and CEO Ryan Moss says the Beehive State is headquarters for good reason.
“We have great people here in the state of Utah. Honestly, that is one of the best blessings about Little Giant, is the wonderful people that we get to work with every single day,” Moss said. “They’re hardworking, they’re smart, they’re creative.”
While Utah is the Little Giant premier factory, the company has facilities and warehouses all over the world, working to keep their standards and safety high. Globally, Little Giant employs several thousand people, together taking a small idea to a huge enterprise and stepping up the ladder of success with no end in sight
Utah
Warning issued after harmful algal bloom found at Utah Lake marina
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SARATOGA SPRINGS, Utah — A Warning Advisory has been issued for an area along Utah Lake after a harmful algal bloom was detected Tuesday.
The City of Saratoga Springs said the bloom was found present at the Saratoga Springs, and could be producing dangerous toxins that would be harmful to humans and animals.
The Utah County Health Department issued the warning, advising people to do the following when in the vicinity of the marina:
- Do not swim or water ski
- Avoid areas of algae when boating
- Clean fish well and discard guts
- Keep animals away
- Don’t drink the water
Algal blooms can cause skin, nerve and liver damage,
Utah
2025 three-star defensive back Manny Fuller commits to Utah
![2025 three-star defensive back Manny Fuller commits to Utah](https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/upload/c_crop,w_568,h_319,x_35,y_0/c_fill,w_1440,ar_16:9,f_auto,q_auto,g_auto/images/voltaxMediaLibrary/mmsport/all_utes/01j1t82fj85me10xzz1a.png)
Utah’s football program, led by coach Kyle Whittingham, continues its impressive recruitment streak with the commitment of Shelton “Manny” Fuller, a three-star safety from El Paso, Texas. Fuller, the 11th commitment to wrap up June, and the 13th for the 2025 class, which adds significant value to the team’s defensive lineup.
Fuller, who visited Salt Lake City earlier this month, had also considered Houston, BYU, and Oregon State before deciding on Utah. He was Initially planning to commit in August, but announced his decision early via Instagram.
Fuller was ranked as the No. 44 athlete in the 2025 class, according to 247Sports. At 6-feet and 170 pounds, he’s known for his versatility and physicality on the field. Without question his combination of strong ball skills with an aggressive playing style, particularly excelling in run defense. As he continues to develop physically, his tackling power is expected to improve, enhancing his already notable defensive capabilities.
Utah hits three of the biggest lists for EA Sports College Football 25
Fuller’s commitment marks the ninth defensive player for Utah in 2025, joining a robust group of recruits including quarterback Wyatt Becker, tight end Drew Clemens, and several defensive standouts like Nela Tupou and Max Fonoimoana. With this strong early recruitment drive, Utah is building significant momentum and positioning itself for a successful future.
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