Water in St. George and Washington County

Here's where Washington County's water comes from, what's being built and how it's managed, from the Washington County Water Conservancy District (WCWCD), the State of Utah and news reports. Each fact links to its source. Numbers change, so check the linked pages for the latest.

New water projects

The district's plan meets about half of future demand through conservation and the other half through new supply, about 40,000 acre feet at roughly $2 billion. Reuse makes up 66% of that new supply, followed by local development (16%), agricultural conversion (10%) and groundwater (8%).⁴ Its 2026 to 2034 capital program lists 28 projects totaling $1.04 billion. The district notes costs come from its 2025 Master Plan and may change during design.⁶

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Sand Hollow aquifer recharge. Sand Hollow Reservoir sits on Navajo sandstone with more than 300,000 acre feet of underground storage capacity, and about 4,500 to 11,000 acre feet seep into it each year.² A 2016 state assessment estimated about 100,000 acre feet stored at the time.¹⁹

A master plan briefing said existing and planned reuse is forecast to meet county demand into the early 2040s, after which sources such as the Lake Powell Pipeline, Virgin River desalination or deep wells would likely be needed.²²

Where the water comes from today

The district says the county's major population centers depend on one source, the Virgin River Basin, which it describes as reaching full development capacity.¹⁸ More than 80% of its drinking water is surface water diverted from the Virgin River, stored in Sand Hollow and Quail Creek reservoirs and treated at Quail Creek. The rest comes from wells in the Navajo aquifer, mostly near Sand Hollow.¹

• Quail Creek Diversion: sends Virgin River water through an 8.7 mile pipeline to the two reservoirs, upstream of La Verkin Hot Springs, which the district says pollutes the river below it.³
• Sand Hollow Reservoir: 51,360 acre feet, completed 2002. See our Sand Hollow guide.²
• Quail Creek Reservoir: 40,325 acre feet, completed 1984.²
• Gunlock Reservoir: 10,884 acre feet on the Santa Clara River, used as a secondary source.²
• Kolob Reservoir: 5,586 acre feet in the upper Virgin watershed, released to the river for diversion downstream.^2,19
• Groundwater: the Navajo Sandstone aquifer and shallow alluvial aquifers.¹⁹
• Reuse and secondary water: irrigates parks, golf courses, schools, churches and cemeteries to save drinking water.⁴

Lake Powell Pipeline status

The pipeline is a planned 140 mile line from the Colorado River. In a 2023 federal filing the district said it remains in the long-term plan but its timing and scope may change, and that reuse would lessen its urgency.¹⁸ District General Manager Zach Renstrom has described it as on hold.¹⁷

Conservation rules and programs

• New-development ordinances: in 2022 the largest cities banned nonfunctional grass in new commercial, institutional and industrial developments and limited grass at new homes, mostly to 8% of the lot.⁸
• Water Efficiency Standards (Oct 2023): single-family lawn is capped at 8% of the lot or 2,500 square feet, whichever is less; commercial lawn is prohibited except active recreation areas; smart controllers, drip irrigation and mulch are required.⁷
• Tiered rates: all municipal partners use increasing block rates, and connections made on or after Jan 1, 2023 face a $10 per 1,000 gallon seasonal surcharge above a threshold.⁹
• Turf conversion rebate: raised in June 2026 to $3 per square foot on the first 1,000 square feet for projects completed by June 1, 2027; the Tribune reported the program saves about 500 acre feet a year.¹¹ Eligibility is on the district's rebate page.¹⁰
• Watering hours: in St. George, outdoor irrigation with culinary water is limited to 8 p.m. to 10 a.m. from June 1 to Sept. 1.¹⁶

Per capita use and the 2026 drought

The district reports 2025 use of 145 gallons per capita per day, down more than 30% since 2000, with a further 24% reduction planned by 2070.^4,18

On May 21, 2026, Gov. Spencer Cox declared a statewide drought emergency after the lowest snowpack recorded since 1930.¹² The state projected April to July Lake Powell inflow at 800,000 acre feet, the lowest since the lake filled.¹³ In May, St. George News reported Sand Hollow at 82% and Quail Creek at 77%.¹⁵ As of Oct 15, 2026, Drought.gov said the new water year begins with significant deficits, though forecasts favor periods of above-normal winter precipitation.¹⁴

How golf courses are watered

Golf courses in the county rely on secondary untreated water.¹⁹ Since 2022, new courses in St. George are not approved unless the development provides its own non-potable source.⁸ All courses on district or city water need a separate irrigation meter and a water budget.⁷ See our golf guide.

The proposed Shivwits resort. The Shivwits Band of Paiutes and Reef Capital have proposed a 1,250 acre resort with three 18-hole courses west of St. George. The band's council says it is planned around about 2,000 acre feet of dedicated reuse water. St. George's water services director told The Salt Lake Tribune an 18-hole course in southern Utah typically uses about 600 acre feet, and that a 2.8 million gallon daily cap under a 2001 settlement could be exceeded on hot days. Opponents have raised concerns about the band's water rights.²⁰ It is a proposal on tribal land and is listed on our development tracker.

What it means for buyers and visitors

• Buyers: new homes have lawn limits and efficiency rules, and newer connections can face a high-use surcharge.^7,9 Rules and rates vary by city and HOA, so check the specific property.
• Visitors: reservoir levels affect Sand Hollow and Quail Creek, and summer watering hours apply to rentals too.^15,16

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