General Information

Government Type

Municipality

Entity

Salt Lake City

Public Body

Public Utilities Advisory Board

Notice Information

Add Notice to Calendar

Notice Title

Salt Lake City Public Utilities Advisory Committee Meeting Minutes

Notice Type(s)

Meeting

Event Start Date & Time

April 23, 2026 07:30 AM

Event End Date & Time

April 23, 2026 09:00 AM

Event Deadline Date & Time

04/23/26 09:00 AM

Description/Agenda

Salt Lake City Public Utilities Advisory Committee Meeting Minutes April 23, 2026 The Public Utilities Advisory Committee (PUAC) meeting was held at 7:30 am on Thursday, April 23, 2026. Committee members that were present, Chris Shope (Chair), Sean McKelvie (Vice Chair) Roger Player, Tom Godfrey, Kathryn Floor, Dani Cepernich, Ted Boyer, and Kamiron Anderson. Salt Lake City Public Utilities employees present were Laura Briefer, Jason Brown, Jesse Stewart, Tamara Prue, John Wells, Stephanie Duer, Tammy Wambeam, Lisa Tarufelli, Jeffrey Grimsdell, Jason Draper, Mark Christiansen, Jacob Jorgensen, Chloe Morroni, Holly Lopez, Jamey West, Michelle Berry, Karryn Greenleaf, Karl Fenrich, Crystal Chen, Peyton Presnal and Elle Smith. Others present were Matthais Boone, Office of the Legislative Auditor General; Annalee Munsee, Metro Water District, Zac Steele, Austin Kimmel, Salt Lake City Council Office; and Josh Montemayor, Business Owner. Welcome and Introductions Director Laura Briefer welcomes everyone to the new SLCDPU facility. Movement into the new facility will be happening in phases, with the first group planned to be moving out this summer. Approve Minutes of March 23, 2026, Meeting A motion was made by Tom Godfrey and seconded by Sean McKelvie to approve minutes of the April 23, 2026, PUAC meeting. All members voted to approve. Financial Report and Budget Update Lisa Tarufelli, Finance Administrator The Water Fund performed as expected, with operating revenues at approximately 71% of budget and metered water sales at about 68%. Operating expenses were just over 50%, and capital encumbrances and expenditures were roughly 77%. The 2025 water bond balance at the end of February was $69.7 million, and two recent draws had been submitted. Director Briefer shares that the team was phasing into the move-in process to vacate the Fifth South campus, which was being prepared for sale with an appraisal between $15-20 million, and continued coordinating with the Community Redevelopment Agency to place the existing campus on the market. For the Sewer Fund, operating revenues were at 68% of budget, with sewer charges at 63% due to the annual billing structure. Operating expenses were just under 44%. The operating budget had been set higher in anticipation of running the existing plant and the new water reclamation facility concurrently, but the timeline shifted, and those funds were planned for re-budgeting to FY27. Capital commitments were at about 80%, with final contract encumbrances still pending. In the Stormwater Fund, operating revenues were just under 72%, with storm drain fees at 66.4%. Operating expenses were approximately 39%, and capital spending reached 36.4% of anticipated levels. For the Streetlighting Fund, operating revenues were just over 68%, driven almost entirely by streetlighting fees. Operating expenses were at 67.5%, and capital spending remained at 15%, unchanged from the prior month. Across all utilities combined, reported revenues were roughly 70% of budget, operating expenses and encumbrances were about 48%, and overall capital spending was just under 77%. Approximately 1,100 accounts were delinquent (past 42 days), with more than 4,500 notices sent and nearly 3,200 customer contacts made by field and phone staff regarding pending shutoffs. During the recent budget meeting with Mayor Mendenhall, the mayor supported the full recommended budget with one modification: adjusting the distribution of the water rate increase, previously set at 60% fixed and 40% volumetric, due to concerns about impacts on lower-use customers. After revising the structure, updated information was provided to IMS for integration into the online rate calculator. The impact fee study and facility fee plans were scheduled for transmission to the City Council possibly after the budget. Annual Municipal Wastewater Planning Program Jamey West, Water Rec Administrator Jamey West presented the annual Municipal Wastewater Planning Program (MWPP) survey required by the Division of Water Quality. He explained that the survey evaluates the technical, operational, and financial condition of the sewer system and treatment facilities, helping identify system needs early and ensuring compliance with the Utah Water Quality Act and the Clean Water Act. Jamey shared that sewer revenues were maintained in an enterprise fund, with 95% of anticipated revenues collected in 2025 and all debt-service reserve requirements met. The most recent rate study was completed in December 2024, and 197 impact fees were collected in 2025 at an average of $8,979. The sewer system's estimated replacement cost was roughly $2 billion, with a 2025 book value just over $1 billion. Capital spending totaled $233 million in 2025, with approximately $200 million projected for 2026-2030. He noted that the collection system included 667 miles of pipe, 47 lift stations, and infrastructure dating back to 1890. In 2025, there was no weather- or equipment-related overflows, and only two minor SSOs occurred. The system served 91,710 equivalent residential units and added 81 new connections. It was maintained by 29 certified operators and supported by comprehensive maintenance, safety, and emergency response programs. About 1% of the system was replaced annually, and the master plan was undergoing an update. West reported that the treatment facility operated at an average of 30 million gallons per day against a 56-million-gallon capacity. BOD and TSS loading remained well within permitted limits, and the facility recorded zero violations in 2025-its 32nd consecutive year of full compliance. Construction of the new treatment facility was underway and expected to be completed by year-end. The plant continued producing Class B biosolids, primarily land-applied through a partnership with Marriott Farms. Following the presentation, Committee Member Dani Cepernich moved to approve the MWPP survey, Committee Member Ted Boyer seconded, and the motion passed unanimously. Water Supply, Demand, and Conservation Update Stephanie Duer, Water Conservation Program Manager; John Wells, Hydrology Manager; and Tamara Prue, Water Resources Manager Tamara Prue, Water Resource Manager, introduced the Water Supply presentation, accompanied by Hydrology Manager John Wells and Conservation Manager Stephanie Duer. Tamara Prue led the presentation on water supply; she shared that Salt Lake City relied on a combination of local sources: City Creek, Parleys (Little Dell and Mountain Dell), Big Cottonwood, Little Cottonwood, Mill Creek, Red Butte, Immigration Canyon, and local wells. Which together provided 50-60% of the city's annual supply and were held under senior city water rights. Additional sources from the Provo River, Weber River, and Strawberry Reservoir, managed in coordination with the Metropolitan Water District, supplemented supply during dry years. Water from these systems could take up to 24 hours to reach city taps. Utah Lake and upstream reservoirs were at healthy levels, though junior storage rights upstream had to meet obligations to senior Utah Lake users. In response to a question from Committee Chair Chris Shope regarding the Colorado River, Tamara stated that impacts are unknown at this time. She also spoke on recent supply trends, noting that the city used 97,000 acre-feet in 2020 compared to 81,000 acre-feet in 2022 during significant drought-driven conservation. For context, one acre-foot equaled approximately 330,000 gallons of water. Tamara shared an overview of the city's major water sources, describing their average and dry-year yields. She noted that local sources typically provided about 60,000 acre-feet in an average year and around 40,000 acre-feet in a dry year, while deep wells and springs supplied roughly 7,500 acre-feet and increased during drought to help offset reduced surface flows. John Wells spoke on the hydrology report, noting that the city's key reservoirs were at or near normal seasonal levels. He also reviewed streamflow forecasts, highlighting that expected yield through July was about 34,220 acre-feet, below the previous low-water benchmark of 40,820 acre-feet, and that Little Cottonwood Creek flows were even lower for the city because it held just over half of that stream's rights. John shared that, despite near-normal precipitation, the city was seeing extremely low streamflow because the winter had been the warmest on record, with much of the precipitation falling as rain instead of snow. The lack of snowpack, combined with record temperatures, prevented normal runoff and triggered an unusually early spring melt in late February. He noted that hydrologic models were overestimating available water because they relied heavily on high-elevation snow data, while on-the-ground observations showed the basin was setting a record low for snowpack and runoff. Stephanie Duer, Water Conservation Manager, reviewed the city's updated drought response plan, explaining that Salt Lake City had maintained a formal drought plan since 2003 and had recently completed a major update in 2025. The new plan incorporated supply forecasts, infrastructure shortages, and water-use. She noted that the city evaluated drought based on both supply and demand, and that current conditions placed the system in Stage 2, requiring a reduction in water use, voluntary for most customers but mandatory for government facilities. There have been ongoing efforts to address high-use issues at city properties. There is the utility's drought decision-support tool, which compiles data from streams, wells, and forecasts to guide drought stage decisions. She also explained that they had developed a detailed water use allocation tool with Bowen Collins to translate system-wide reduction goals into specific, customer level targets for clearer public messaging. Stephanie spoke on increased communication with property managers, housing associations, commercial groups, and the public as staff worked to reinforce conservation efforts. She emphasized that elevated water use was occurring across the region and that conditions at the Great Salt Lake added urgency, with state leaders closely monitoring the situation. Public Comment No public comment. Meeting adjourned at 9:38 am. The next PUAC Meeting will be held on Thursday, June 28th, 2026 at 7:30 am

Notice of Special Accommodations (ADA)

This is an accessible facility. People with disabilities may make requests for reasonable accommodation, which may include alternate formats, interpreters, and other auxiliary aids and services. Please make requests at least two business days in advance. To make a request, please contact the Public Utilities Office at 801-483-6834, or relay service 711.

Notice of Electronic or Telephone Participation

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Meeting Information

Meeting Location

950 North 2200 West
Salt Lake City, UT 84116
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Contact Name

Elle Smith

Contact Email

melissa.smith@slc.gov

Contact Phone

801-483-6770

Notice Posting Details

Notice Posted On

June 04, 2026 03:08 PM

Notice Last Edited On

June 04, 2026 03:14 PM

Deadline Date

April 23, 2026 09:00 AM

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