GUNNISON, Utah — A proposed expansion of the Central Utah Correctional Facility could bring hundreds of additional beds to the Gunnison prison, but city leaders say the project raises important questions about whether local water and sewer systems can support the growth.
The facility opened in 1989 and was designed with room for future expansion. State officials say some of the infrastructure needed to accommodate additional housing is already in place, but Gunnison Mayor Mike Wanner says the community’s resources must be part of the conversation.
“We actually have enough water rights, but that would then take up everything we have, and then that would leave nothing for future growth or development or anything like that,” Wanner said.
The expansion was discussed during a state planning meeting earlier this month. The preliminary proposal includes three new housing units with a total of 768 additional beds, along with an expanded kitchen, medical and administrative facilities, and other support spaces.
Andy Maher, director of the Utah Division of Facilities Construction and Management, said the facility was built with room to grow.
“Gunnison was built for expansion, and there already is utility stubbed out,” Maher said, explaining that the state is also evaluating the capacity of the facility’s central plant and other infrastructure needed to support additional beds.
Maher said the project is a significant undertaking.
During the last legislative session, lawmakers appropriated $125 million for prison expansion and included $8 million in intent language for the creation and design of the expansion project.
Wanner said the city is not just looking at whether it has enough water rights to serve it. He said dedicating that water to the prison could limit Gunnison’s ability to accommodate future development.
The city is also working on a master plan that includes evaluating whether its sewer lagoons can handle additional demands.
“It comes down to sewer and water. Do we have enough? And looking into whether our sewer lagoons can handle that increase. We're in the middle of a master plan with that right now, so really it comes down to that. It’s sewer and water,” Wanner said.
The mayor also hopes state leaders will consider the broader impact on the community, including local businesses and health care resources, saying they hope the prison can help support those entities moving forward.
Wanner acknowledged that some of the expansion’s needs could potentially be handled by the facility in Salt Lake City, which could ease the burden on Gunnison.
“The state’s gonna do what the state’s gonna do,” Wanner said. “But I would hope that they would come to the table with Gunnison and really look at and focus on the needs that we have there.”
The mayor acknowleged the state and corrections has been a good partner with Gunnison City and allowed them to be in the good standing they currently are, but he just wants to be sure that continues.
The state’s final expansion plan has not been finalized, and completing the project could take three to four years.