State lawmakers have repeatedly rejected water conservation measures in recent years.
Here are some that failed:
In 2025, restrictions on inefficient high-spraying irrigation systems for new developments in counties around the Great Salt Lake were narrowly defeated in the House. Limits in the same counties on new turf grass — which requires more water than other landscaping plants — weren't scheduled for debate.
Efforts to track water usage by golf courses failed in 2025 and 2023, when House Republicans complained the measure would "shame" the golf industry.
After two heavy-snowfall winters, a 2024 bill asking the Great Salt Lake commissioner to create a plan to maximize flows to the lake in high-water years didn't get a House vote.
A resolution in 2023 would have set a target lake surface elevation of 4,198 feet, but Senate Republicans blocked it in committee, saying the measure would make the lake too high a priority.
A 2023 proposal to divert $65 million to buy water rights around the lake didn't get scheduled for debate.
The latest: Lawmakers last week passed a controversial bill that GOP proponents said would "help" the lake by streamlining water applications.
Conservationists said it actually reduces the grounds for the state engineer to reject a water right application.
