Cities covered and their building pages
Provo, Orem, Lehi, American Fork, Spanish Fork, and five more cities: what each building page says about water heater permits, and six city water reports.
Ten cities, ten building departments
This site covers ten cities in Utah County: Provo, Orem, Lehi, American Fork, Spanish Fork, Pleasant Grove, Highland, Alpine, Springville, and Mapleton. Each one runs its own building department and issues its own water heater permits. Utah County's building division serves only the unincorporated parts of the county, so a home outside city limits applies there.
Two things change from city to city: the permit rules, and the water. The sections below give both, as each city publishes them.
Permits by city
| City | What the city's own page says |
|---|---|
| Provo | Apply for a building permit; for tankless water heaters, also submit a gas line diagram. Standard trade permits generally carry a $75 base fee plus a $12 processing fee. |
| Orem | Its 2026 permit list includes water heater installations or replacements, and gas lines. |
| Lehi | Applications go through the city's building permit submittal portal. Lehi's Building and Inspections page does not name water heaters. |
| American Fork | Its FAQ quotes the adopted code: a permit is required to install or replace any gas, mechanical, or plumbing system. |
| Spanish Fork | Lists water heaters among work that commonly requires a permit. Applications go through CitizenServe. |
| Pleasant Grove | A permit is required for any modification of plumbing, heating, or electrical systems. The submittal needs a contractor license number or an owner-builder certification form. |
| Highland | Lists water heaters among the items that need a permit. |
| Alpine | Offers a separate permit application for furnaces, air conditioning, and water heaters. |
| Springville | Its permit-exemption sheet reprints IRC R105.1 and lists no water heater exemption. |
| Mapleton | Takes building permits through an online submittal portal. Mapleton's building page does not name water heaters. |
Lehi's and Mapleton's building pages don't name water heaters, but Utah's adopted residential code requires a permit to install, convert, or replace a gas or plumbing system (IRC R105.1). Check with the city before work starts. The permits guide has links to each city's page.
Water by city
Hardness drives how often a tankless unit needs flushing.
| City | Water sources, from the city's water report | Hardness the city publishes |
|---|---|---|
| Provo | Springs, wells, and reservoirs | 10 to 15 grains per gallon ("moderately hard"), 2025 report |
| Orem | About 60% treated surface water, about 40% springs and wells | 7 to 25 grains per gallon for city sources; 5.7 to 9.9 for the treated surface water, 2025 report |
| American Fork | Two springs and five wells, 2024 report | The city suggests setting softeners to 12.38 grains per gallon |
| Lehi | Seven wells and three springs, plus surface water from the Central Utah Water Conservancy District | No hardness figure in the 2025 report |
| Spanish Fork | Five springs and two wells | No hardness figure in the 2025 report |
| Springville | Four springs and seven wells | No hardness figure in the 2025 report |
| Pleasant Grove, Highland, Alpine, Mapleton | Not reviewed for this page | Check the city's annual water quality report |
Orem's treated surface water comes from the Provo River, Deer Creek Reservoir, and Jordanelle Reservoir. The Jordan River flows north out of Utah Lake toward Salt Lake County, and none of the six city water reports reviewed here lists it as a supply.
If your city doesn't publish hardness, you can buy a hardness test kit or ask the contractor to test a sample. A softener dealer can also test it.
Electric utilities
Provo, Lehi, Spanish Fork, and Springville run their own electric utilities. Rocky Mountain Power is the only rate-regulated electric utility in Utah. Your bill tells you which one serves your home. Check it before you compare electric water heaters or look for a rebate. The rebates guide explains what each utility offers.
Enbridge Gas Utah, formerly Dominion Energy Utah, runs the ThermWise rebate program for its gas customers.
A request through the contact page goes to an independent local contractor.
Send a request
Describe your home and current water heater. The request goes to an independent local contractor, who can talk through sizing, venting, and permits with you.