Romney warns St. George development could stop without better water conservation
Drought could dry up development in St. George and other areas without some significant changes in the use and conservation of water, Sen. Mitt Romney warned during his visit Tuesday with water officials in Washington County. Washington County’s population is expected to more than double over the next 40 years — from 182,000 to nearly 465,000. The county’s current water supply is woefully inadequate to keep pace. … Amid the stench of sulfur at La Verkin Hot Springs, about 20 miles east of St. George, Romney and Zach Renstrom, executive director of the Washington County Water Conservancy District, examined one possible change — desalinating water in the springs the district owns on the Virgin River. The move could theoretically create as much as 8,000 acre-feet — roughly 2.6 billion gallons — of additional drinking water per year.