Utah's New Surf Spot: Fun or Water Waste?

A new surf spot is coming to Washington County, Utah. It's called Zion Shores. This place will have man-made waves, just like the ocean. The waves will be perfect every time. No waiting for the right wave. No guessing. Just perfect waves. But there's a problem. Utah is dry. Very dry. Water is precious there. So, why build a huge surf pool? The water for Zion Shores is not drinkable. It's salty and needs lots of treatment. This treatment is expensive. It costs about $10 million. That's a lot of money just to make water safe for a pool. Some people worry about this. They say using so much water for fun is not a good idea. Especially in a place where water is scarce. Others say it's okay. They think using water that can't be drunk is a good idea. It's better than letting it go to waste.The city where Zion Shores is being built has rules. The developers can't use city water. They can't dump waste into the city's sewer system. They have to treat their own water. And they can't ask for city water in the future if they run out. But the city can't stop the project. The developers already have the rights to build. The city can only try to reduce the impact. They made a deal to use less water. They also made rules to protect the water. Zion Shores is part of a bigger plan. It includes homes, hotels, and shops. The homes will mostly be for short-term rentals. They cost a lot of money. Over $1. 6 million each. The developers still need a building permit. They have to show how they will get, treat, and dispose of the water. They plan to take the waste to an evaporation pond. Then, they will take the leftovers to the county dump. The city hasn't approved the plan yet. They are still reviewing it. The developers are waiting. They haven't started building the surf pools yet.