Utah Code Title 73. Water and Irrigation § 73-1-14. Acts against water facilities or interfering with apportioning official--Penalty and liability

(a) “Connection to a water facility” includes:

(b) “Interfere,” for purposes of a water facility, means damage to or modification of the water facility that results in actual blockage or diversion of water, stormwater, wastewater, or sewage.

(c) “Knowingly” means the same as that term is defined in Section 76-2-103.

(d) “Water facility” means a dam, pipeline, culvert, fire hydrant, flume, conduit, ditch, head gate, canal, reservoir, storage tank, spring box, well, meter, weir, valve, casing, cap, or other facility used for the diversion, transportation, distribution, measurement, collection, containment, or storage of water, stormwater, wastewater, or sewage.

(a) knowingly makes a temporary or permanent connection to, or interferes with, a water facility without:

(b) without lawful authority, knowingly interferes with an individual authorized to apportion water while in the discharge of the individual's duties.

(4)(a) A civil action under this section may be brought independent of a criminal action.

(b) Proof of the elements of a civil action under this section need only be made by a preponderance of the evidence.

(6)(a) “Person” for purposes of this section does not include a government entity, including a political subdivision of the state.

(b) This section may not be interpreted to limit or impair a claim otherwise provided by law of a water facility owner or operator against a government entity.