OCR Text |
Show Beck Asks Governor to Join Canal Cause By RANDALL WRIGHT Seven cities of north Utah County are asking Utah Governor Scott Matheson to press the Central Utah Water Conservancy District (CUWCD) for a new evaluation of a proposal to improve im-prove the Murdock Canal. A letter requesting a meeting with Matheson - "to discuss the current problems . . . and to solicit your support" - was hand-carried to the governor's office Tuesday. It was signed by American Fork Mayor Malcolm Beck on behalf of himself and the other mayors of the Timpanogos Planning and Water Management Agency . The cities object to current Central Utah Project plans that call for two high pressure aqueducts to deliver water to Salt Lake Valley. They say more water can be delivered at less cost by using the existing right of way of the Murdock Canal. The change would eliminate the open canal -generally agreed to be a dangerous nuisance to local communities. The CUWCD has balked at the idea. The mayors' arguments for a new review have been convincing enough to elicit the support of elected representatives of more than 90 percent of the people within the boundaries of the water district. . "To date, there are thirty-seven cities in six counties including Juab, Sanpete, Wasatch, Summit, Salt Lake and Utah that have gone on record requesting a review and full consideration for a single conveyance system across North Utah County," the letter said. Beck says even if the governor has no statutory authority to intervene in-tervene in decisions of the CUWCD, politically Matheson is the only one with enough clout to make the board respond to the people. |