APPLE VALLEY, Utah — Apple Valley residents have received an urgent warning to conserve water after the town's wells and aquifer have hit critical levels due to draining allegedly caused by a land owner who dug a deeper well and ran pivots.
The unidentified land owner recently dug their well 50 feet deeper.
"After three days of working on the wells and the aquifer, we have come up with some bad news," said Mayor Mike Farrar. "At this time we feel that this has started draining the aquifer and is causing major problems for our water system."
Attorneys, engineers, state officials and the Washington County Conservancy are working to address and resolve the situation.
Residents are told to conserve water until further notice, which includes no watering of landscapes, trees, or washing cars. In addition, external water usage is supposed to be for livestock and animals only.
The town will hold a meeting on Thursday at 6 p.m. to answer questions and go into additional detail about what happened.
It is not the first time Apple Valley has had issues with its water supply. In 2023, the town issued a Boil Water Advisory for homes when officials learned that a water tank in Cedar Point was empty. An investigation later found that the tank's water float had been stuck reading an incorrect level.
In 2024, the state of Utah declared a water emergency in Apple Valley after Cedar Point water was tested to have two to three times the permitted amount of radium, which is known to cause cancer.
Last year, the town celebrated the opening of a 5.5-mile water pipeline that was meant to bring water into the community.
