1. (1) As used in this section:

   1. (a) "Partnership" means the nonprofit, statewide partnership described in Subsections (2) and (3).
   2. (b) "Water supply entity" means an entity supplying either culinary or irrigation water to a water user.

2. (2) The department shall oversee:

   1. (a) the creation of a nonprofit, statewide partnership in accordance with this section; and
   2. (b) the state's participation in the partnership.

3. (3) The partnership shall:

   1. (a) be known as "Utah Water Ways";

   2. (b) have as core purposes to:

      1. (i) facilitate coordination of efforts to optimize the use of water by:

         1. (A) sponsoring policy discussions about the state's water supply;
         2. (B) engaging the private sector to help support efforts to optimize the use of water and related activities;
         3. (C) coordinating with the Department of Agriculture and Food and the Department of Environmental Quality on water related issues;
         4. (D) maintaining communication among partners in the partnership;
         5. (E) providing a line of communication from partners to state leaders; and
         6. (F) promoting coordination of grants, rebate programs, or sponsorships that support the optimal use of water; and

      2. (ii) encourage residents of the state to make changes to optimize the use of water and care for the state's water supply by:

         1. (A) providing public education and public awareness campaigns and helping consolidate campaigns about the state's water supply, water quality, and water use; and
         2. (B) providing residents of the state with tools to understand what can be done to optimize the use of water;

   3. (c) consistent with Subsection (3)(b)(ii)(A) and subject to Subsection (8), coordinate with the State Board of Education to create standards-aligned resources and professional development opportunities to be used in select grades in kindergarten through grade 12 of the public education system, including:

      1. (i) an overview of the water cycle;
      2. (ii) an overview of Utah's water systems, including reference to watersheds, watershed health, groundwater, river systems, and major water infrastructure;

      3. (iii) an overview on how water is used in Utah, such as in the residential, agricultural, and industrial sectors, including information regarding:

         1. (A) the pass-through of water used in households to terminal lakes like the Great Salt Lake;
         2. (B) the pass-through of water used in many industries to terminal lakes like the Great Salt Lake;
         3. (C) the jobs and products created by industrial sections that use water;
         4. (D) the importance of agriculture in providing food; and
         5. (E) water recycling in areas that do not have terminal lakes like the Great Salt Lake;
      4. (iv) information on the geological and climate changes for the last 30,000 years that created and changed the Great Salt Lake;
      5. (v) strategies for individuals to protect water quality;
      6. (vi) strategies for individuals to optimize the use of water, and the reasons optimization is needed; and
      7. (vii) hands-on methods to help students learn the information described in this Subsection (3)(c); and
   4. (d) seek grants, gifts, donations, devises, and bequests.

4. (4) The board of directors for the partnership shall:

   1. (a) consist of 13 individuals as follows:

      1. (i) the executive director of the department, or the executive director's designee;
      2. (ii) the director of the Division of Water Resources, or the director's designee;
      3. (iii) the executive director of the Department of Environmental Quality, or the executive director's designee;
      4. (iv) the commissioner of the Department of Agriculture and Food, or the commissioner's designee;
      5. (v) a representative of rural Utah selected jointly by the governor, the speaker of the House of Representatives, and the president of the Senate;
      6. (vi) the general managers for four water conservancy districts selected jointly by the governor, the speaker of the House of Representatives, and the president of the Senate; and
      7. (vii) four members of the business community selected jointly by the governor, the speaker of the House of Representatives, and the president of the Senate;
   2. (b) hire an executive director by August 1, 2023, who shall serve for an initial term of four years; and
   3. (c) adopt policies concerning the board of directors' internal organization and procedures.
5. (5) The partnership may, consistent with this section, receive a grant, gift, donation, devise, or bequest.
6. (6) The partnership shall annually report, by no later than October 1, to the Natural Resources, Agriculture, and Environment Interim Committee.
7. (7) Notwithstanding the creation of the partnership, a water supply entity may maintain an important role with water supply users to encourage the optimized use of water such as through localized messaging, rebate programs, or other activities.
8. (8) The standards-aligned resources created under Subsection (3)(c) may not include information on human-caused climate change.

Amended by Chapter 492, 2026 General Session