WASHINGTON COUNTY, Utah (ABC4) – Drought conditions in Utah prompt Washington County officials to take action to reduce water needs.
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On Tuesday, Governor Spencer Cox issued his third executive order related to the drought conditions in Utah, urging residents to limit water use and ban fireworks on state and unregistered land.
The Washington County Water Conservancy District is expanding this and taking additional measures to reduce water needs.
These actions include:
- Introduced an excess water surcharge of $ 1.00 per 1,000 gallons for the county’s flood consumers
- Encouraging cities to conduct an internal audit of all public facilities to reduce water consumption by a further 10% and identify non-functioning lawns that will be converted into water-efficient landscapes
- Encouraging cities to adopt and enforce ordinances to limit / restrict grass in new commercial and residential developments, ban irrigation with treated water between 10 a.m. and 8 p.m., remove water features in new settlements, commercial car washes to recycle Request water locally and establish lawn boundaries and / or water budgets for golf courses
Washington County has reduced its per capita water use by more than 30% since 2000 – the highest percentage reduction in Utah, according to a press release on Wednesday. This was also the first county to pass the state’s most aggressive water conservation goal.
Ogden City is imposing restrictions and fines to save water
“We have to take conservation seriously,” said Zach Renstrom, the district’s general manager. “We have a local water resource that is almost exhausted and a population that is expected to more than double in the next 40 years.”
The district currently offers more than two dozen conservation programs and is working with Maddaus Water Management, an international agency specializing in water demand analysis, water protection and drought planning, to identify additional programs to implement in their 2021 water protection plan. Other programs tested include discounts for lawn removal, water-saving irrigation devices, and water-smart devices.
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Officials report that Maddaus has reviewed the district’s current water conservation program and reported that it “rivals other notable programs in the western United States and outperforms other companies of similar size and customer base.”
“Water is the elixir of life in our community,” says Renstrom. “We are experiencing one of the worst droughts on record and we can and must do more to protect and preserve our water.”
Several other areas in Utah are seeing pressure to conserve water.
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Ogden City recently put restrictions and fines in place to conserve water due to their moderate water shortage. The Mayor of Riverton has urged the city’s residents to conserve water.
Oakley City, located in Summit County, has banned all new construction projects that would tap the city’s water as it faces a historic drought.
Salt Lake City recently sparked a Level 2 water shortage response for the first time since 2004, due to the dramatic snowmelt in the low mountain ranges and streams. The streams that supply some of the water for more than 360,000 water customers are between just 22% and 52% of the average this year.
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