Water infrastructure entities dealing with the supply (water supply and raw water development), control, measurement, treatment, distribution, storage, or transport of any drinking water, irrigation water, secondary water, wastewater, stormwater, or other water sources in Utah are eligible for inclusion in the UWIP. Entities may also apply for funds to create planning documents like reserve studies and capital asset management plans.

The UWIP is seeking all water infrastructure projects that are likely to seek state funding within the next 20 years. Projects that are very likely to be entirely self-funded or funded through non-state sources do not need to be included. However, if there is uncertainty about future funding, it is recommended to add the project to the Utah Project Portal with a 0% state contribution estimate.

Statute requires that relevant agencies submit annual agency plans by June 30 each year. The May 1 cutoff date allows each agency to export projects from the portal and have time to update their respective plans. The agencies submit these plans to the Water Development Coordinating Council to inform the UWIP. The portal will be open year round for entities to establish accounts and manage projects.

Having your project in the portal is essentially a pre-application step. Entities will still need to apply for funding for their projects through the existing agency’s detailed application process. We encourage entities to reach out to the relevant agency as soon as a funding request is known for the near future (1-2 years out). The agency can give guidance for specific project nuances. 

The Utah Project Portal is where entities should create an account and manage their projects. There are informational videos available on the Water Development Coordinating Council’s YouTube channel. If you have unique questions, please reach out to UWIPprojects@utah.gov. 

First, evaluate when you will be applying for funding from a relevant agency for this project. If this is within the next 1 to 2 years, contact the agency and pursue a more detailed agency application. The agency can then adjust the provisional score as more project specific details are collected and report the changes in the upcoming agency plan. If the project is applying for funding further out, continue to collect and refine the information displayed in the Utah Project Portal. The data collected in the portal is utilized to create the provisional score displayed in the UWIP. See Appendix C: Process for Prioritizing Water Project Funding for more information.

No. The  Permanent Community Impact Fund Board provides funds to municipalities impacted by mineral resource development on federal lands for various project types including recreation, transportation, water and more. Because their project funding is not limited to water infrastructure, they are not tied to the UWIP process.

This board is a part of the Water Development Coordinating Council due to a portion of its funds going to water projects. The board and UWIP both utilize the Utah Project Portal as a platform for collecting projects related to planning.

No. Although the Utah Department of Agriculture and Food is a member of the Water Development Coordinating Council, it was not statutorily determined to be a relevant agency and its funds are not tied to the UWIP process. Contact the department for more information regarding their funds and programs. 

The Utah Office of Administrative Rules requires rulemaking agencies to follow a specific rule filing timeline and public comment period. The public can submit comments during the public comment period via email through the Administrative Rule Search, selecting the ‘Proposed Rules’ filter and pathing to Water Resources (653) within the Natural Resources Agency tab.

Yes. Most water infrastructure projects seeking state funding assistance will need to participate in the UWIP to receive funds from the relevant agencies. Exceptions include:

• Emergency projects
• Small projects
• Funds restricted by federal law
• Funds dispersed from the Water Resources Revolving Construction Fund (dam safety projects and typically irrigation projects <$1 million)
• Funds dispersed from the Water Infrastructure Restricted Account

Yes, both new installation and repair and replacement projects are eligible to receive funds. Projects will be prioritized based on criteria from Utah Code 73-10g-603 to balance varying infrastructure needs.

Yes, planning documents like capital asset management plans and reserve studies are eligible for consideration.

This is defined as any facility, such as a canal, pipeline or dam, that stores and delivers water for agriculture but excludes facilities that are on-farm and benefit individual farms.

Grant funds for dam safety upgrades on the Utah dam safety priority list are exempt from the UWIP. However, new dams, maintenance, or other non-safety-related dam issues are UWIP-eligible. Entities can also submit dam safety projects for UWIP funding if they wish to address them before grant funds are available from the dam safety grant program.

No, UWIP funding cannot be used to purchase water rights.

The amount of funding was studied and developed as part of a separate Infrastructure Fee Study. The study considers current funding sources and mechanisms, where shortfalls exist, how a new fee might be assessed and how the revenue might be equitably distributed statewide. Any future fees must be approved by the Legislature. Currently, there is no fee or tax that has been approved that would fund the Water Infrastructure Fund

Current state funding requirements will remain in place. Additional requirements from the UWIP prioritization process will become effective on July 1, 2026 (fiscal year 2027). Work with your current funding project manager to address additional questions.

Current funding mechanisms for the boards of Drinking Water, Water Resources and Water Quality will remain in place, although participating in the UWIP will be a requirement for most of these existing funds. The Water Infrastructure Fund will be an additional funding account managed by the Water Developing Coordinating Council and distributed to the relevant agencies, but currently there is no ongoing funding for this account. . 

The Water Development Coordinating Council will manage the UWIP and administer funds in the Water Infrastructure Fund to the relevant agencies. The relevant agency board will continue to manage their respective existing funds. 

Matching funds may be required depending on the final funding source. Entities are encouraged to enter any anticipated matching funds when submitting their projects.

Entities can choose not to submit projects. But, moving forward most projects applying for funds from the boards of Drinking Water, Water Quality and Water Resources will need to participate in this process. Exceptions include emergency projects, small projects, funds restricted by federal law, funds dispersed from the Water Resources Revolving Construction Fund (dam safety projects and typically irrigation projects <$1 million) and funds dispersed from the Water Infrastructure Restricted Account.