{"data":{"id":"us-ut/utah-code-76-9-1203","jurisdiction":"us-ut","citation":"Utah Code § 76-9-1203","heading":"Unlawful taking of water or damaging a water facility.","body":"(1) Terms defined in Sections 76-1-101.5 and 76-9-1201 apply to this section.\n(2) An actor commits unlawful taking of water or damaging a water facility if the actor, in violation of a right of another person, intentionally or knowingly:\n(a) turns on or uses the water, or a part thereof, of a canal, ditch, pipeline, or reservoir, except at a time when the use of the water has been duly distributed to the actor;\n(b) uses a greater quantity of the water than has been duly distributed to the actor;\n(c) in any way changes the flow of water when lawfully distributed for irrigation or other useful purposes, except when duly authorized to make the change; or\n(d) breaks or injures a dam, canal, pipeline, watergate, ditch, or other means of diverting or conveying water for irrigation or other useful purposes.\n(3) A violation of Subsection (2) is subject to the penalty provisions in Section 73-2-27.\n(4) Subsection (2) applies to violations of a right to the use of water, including:\n(a) a water right; or\n(b) authorization of a person's use of water by:\n(i) a water company, as defined in Subsection 73-3-3.5(1)(b); or\n(ii) an entity having a valid water right under Utah law.","path":["Title 76 Criminal Offenses","Chapter 76-9 Offenses Against Public Order, Health, and Safety","Part 76-9-12 Offenses Concerning Water, Shafts, and Wells"],"source_url":"https://le.utah.gov/xcode/Title76/Chapter9/76-9-S1203.html","current_through":"2026 General Session","vintage":"","retrieved_at":"2026-09-03T11:34:34Z","sha256":"5882ab9ebab05279da36fe1d627f2ff6f2b69343bfe35d834389c17895ba02e2","source_id":"us-ut","stale":false,"prev":"us-ut/utah-code-76-9-1202","next":"us-ut/utah-code-76-9-1204"},"notice":"GroundRules: Original legal text. Not legal advice."}