Primarily a wholesaler of water to cities and improvement districts within Salt Lake County, Jordan Valley Water Conservancy District is a political subdivision of the State of Utah and one of the largest water districts in the state. It was created in 1951 under the Water Conservancy Act and was called the Salt Lake County Water Conservancy District until 1999.

Jordan Valley Water is governed by a board of nine trustees who represent eight geographical divisions. They are nominated either by the Salt Lake County Council or a city council, depending upon the division they represent. The Governor then appoints Trustees for a 4-year term from those nominated.

Jordan Valley Water has a retail service area primarily in unincorporated areas of the county, making up about 10 percent of its deliveries; approximately ninety percent of its municipal water is delivered on a wholesale basis to cities and water districts. In addition, Jordan Valley treats and delivers water to Metropolitan Water District of Salt Lake & Sandy on a contractual basis for delivery to Salt Lake City and Sandy City, even though neither city is within Jordan Valley Water's service boundaries. Jordan Valley also delivers untreated water to irrigators in Salt Lake and Utah Counties to meet commitments under irrigation exchanges.