1     
WATER SOURCE PROTECTION ZONE AMENDMENTS

2     
2020 GENERAL SESSION

3     
STATE OF UTAH

4     
Chief Sponsor: Steve Waldrip

5     
Senate Sponsor: ____________

6     

7     LONG TITLE
8     General Description:
9          This bill addresses the processes related to water source protection zones and related
10     ordinances.
11     Highlighted Provisions:
12          This bill:
13          ▸     modifies the minimum requirements for ordinances;
14          ▸     provides processes for approving water source protection zones;
15          ▸     repeals outdated language; and
16          ▸     makes technical changes.
17     Money Appropriated in this Bill:
18          None
19     Other Special Clauses:
20          None
21     Utah Code Sections Affected:
22     AMENDS:
23          17-41-402.5, as enacted by Laws of Utah 2009, Chapter 376
24          19-4-113, as last amended by Laws of Utah 2009, Chapter 173
25     

26     Be it enacted by the Legislature of the state of Utah:
27          Section 1. Section 17-41-402.5 is amended to read:

28          17-41-402.5. Limits on political subdivisions with respect to a vested mining use --
29     Exception.
30          (1) A political subdivision may not:
31          (a) terminate a vested mining use, whether by amortization, the exercise of police
32     power, or otherwise;
33          (b) prohibit, restrict, or otherwise limit a mine operator with a vested mining use from
34     exercising the rights permitted under this chapter;
35          (c) require, for a vested mining use:
36          (i) a variance;
37          (ii) a conditional use permit;
38          (iii) a special exception;
39          (iv) the establishment or determination of a nonconforming use right; or
40          (v) any other type of zoning or land use permit; or
41          (d) prohibit, restrict, limit, or otherwise regulate a vested mining use under a variance,
42     conditional use permit, special exception, or other zoning or land use permit issued before May
43     12, 2009.
44          (2) Subsection (1) does not prohibit a political subdivision from requiring a vested
45     mining use to comply with the generally applicable, reasonable health and safety regulations
46     and building code adopted by the political subdivision including a drinking water protection
47     zone as defined and limited to Subsection 19-4-113(4)[(a) and (b)].
48          Section 2. Section 19-4-113 is amended to read:
49          19-4-113. Water source protection ordinance required.
50          (1) (a) Before May 3, 2010, a first or second class county shall:
51          (i) adopt an ordinance in compliance with this section after:
52          (A) considering the rules established by the board to protect a watershed or water
53     source used by a public water system;
54          (B) consulting with a wholesale water supplier or retail water supplier whose drinking
55     water source is within the county's jurisdiction;
56          (C) considering the effect of the proposed ordinance on:
57          (I) agriculture production within an agricultural protection area created under Title 17,
58     Chapter 41, Agriculture, Industrial, or Critical Infrastructure Materials Protection Areas; and

59          (II) a manufacturing, industrial, or mining operation within the county's jurisdiction;
60     and
61          (D) holding a public hearing in accordance with Title 52, Chapter 4, Open and Public
62     Meetings Act; and
63          (ii) file a copy of the ordinance with the board.
64          (b) A municipality in a first or second class county may adopt an ordinance that a first
65     or second class county is required to adopt by this section by following the procedures and
66     requirements of this section.
67          (2) (a) A county ordinance adopted in accordance with this section applies to the
68     incorporated and unincorporated areas of the county unless a municipality adopts an ordinance
69     in accordance with this section.
70          (b) A municipal ordinance adopted in accordance with this section supercedes, within
71     the municipality's jurisdiction, a county ordinance adopted in accordance with this section.
72          (3) An ordinance required or authorized by this section at a minimum shall:
73          (a) designate a drinking water source protection zone in accordance with Subsection
74     (4) for a groundwater source that is:
75          (i) used by a public water system; and
76          (ii) located within the county's or municipality's jurisdiction;
77          (b) contain a zoning provision regulating the storage, handling, use, or production of a
78     hazardous or toxic substance within a drinking water source protection zone designated under
79     Subsection (3)(a); [and]
80          (c) authorize a retail water supplier or wholesale water supplier to seek enforcement of
81     the ordinance provision required by Subsections (3)(a) and (b) in a district court located within
82     the county or municipality if the county or municipality:
83          (i) notifies the retail water supplier or wholesale water supplier within 10 days of
84     receiving notice of a violation of the ordinance that the county or municipality will not seek
85     enforcement of the ordinance; or
86          (ii) does not seek enforcement within two days of a notice of violation of the ordinance
87     when the violation may cause irreparable harm to the groundwater source[.];
88          (d) provide for disclosure to owners of private property affected by a drinking water
89     source protection zone, as follows:

90          (i) require a notice of the drinking water source protection zone be recorded with the
91     title of property affected by a drinking water source protection zone; or
92          (ii) in lieu of recording a notice under Subsection (3)(d)(i), the retail water supplier or
93     wholesale water supplier shall secure a drinking water source protection easement over and on
94     affected property;
95          (e) require at least one public hearing when a public water system for culinary use
96     proposes improvements to a new or existing drinking water source that will affect a drinking
97     water source protection zone designation on private property:
98          (i) that occurs before final approval of development or improvement of a drinking
99     water source;
100          (ii) that presents the reasonably anticipated extent and effect of any proposed drinking
101     water source protection zone on private property;
102          (iii) that is noticed by certified mail to the property owners likely to be affected, and by
103     posting in a newspaper of general circulation in the affected area, no less than 10 days in
104     advance of the public hearing; and
105          (iv) except that property owned or otherwise controlled by the public water system is
106     exempt from the hearing requirements of this Subsection (3)(e); and
107          (f) designate the department as the agency responsible for hearing appeals related to the
108     configuration of a public water system's drinking water source protection zone.
109          (4) [A] (a) For a drinking water source existing before May 12, 2020, a county shall
110     designate a drinking water source protection zone required by Subsection (3)(a) within:
111          [(a)] (i) a 100 foot radius from the groundwater source; and
112          [(b)] (ii) a 250 day groundwater time of travel to the groundwater source if the
113     [supplier calculates] public water system has calculated the time of travel in the public water
114     system's drinking water source protection plan in accordance with board rules.
115          (b) For a drinking water source developed or improved on or after May 12, 2020, and
116     after public notice and hearing as required in Subsection (3)(e), a county may:
117          (i) approve a proposed new or expanded drinking water source protection zone if
118     requested by a public water system; or
119          (ii) reject a proposed new or expanded drinking water source protection zone.
120          (c) If a county rejects a proposed new or expanded drinking water source protection

121     zone, the public water system may pursue other drinking water source protection remedies to
122     protect the proposed source.
123          (d) A county shall make publicly accessible by the Internet a map of the county's water
124     source protection zones.
125          (5) A zoning provision required by Subsection (3)(b) is not subject to Subsection
126     17-41-402(3).
127          (6) An ordinance authorized by Section 10-8-15 supercedes an ordinance required or
128     authorized by this section to the extent that the ordinances conflict.
129          (7) The board shall[: (a) ] provide information, guidelines, and technical resources to a
130     county or municipality preparing and implementing an ordinance in accordance with this
131     section[; and].
132          [(b) report to the Natural Resources, Agriculture, and Environment Interim Committee
133     before November 30, 2010 on:]
134          [(i) compliance with this section's requirement to adopt an ordinance to protect a public
135     drinking water source; and]
136          [(ii) the effectiveness of the ordinance in retaining state primacy in regulating drinking
137     water.]