JORDANELLE RESERVOIR, Utah — Utah's Department of Natural Resources is urging people to cut back on their outdoor water use to help preserve the state's drinking water supply for the rest of this year and future years.
Statewide reservoir water storage has dropped 10% from June 1 to July 1, said Candace Hasenyager, the director of the Utah Division of Water Resources. In a typical year, it only drops 2%. That signals a higher increase in water use.
"It's really been hot and dry and so I think most people have a tendency to use more water," she said.
Hasenyager said cities are starting to enforce outdoor watering restrictions (many cities ban outdoor watering from 10am to 6pm) and people should cut their lawn watering at least one irrigation cycle. Some sectors of agriculture have also seen cuts as all of Utah is now in some form of drought.
"Reservoirs are our bank accounts, right? They store water in wet years to get us through dry years," Hasenyager said. "If we draw down our bank account real quick, we use a bunch of water now? It won't be there for when we may need it next year."
This article is published through the Great Salt Lake Collaborative, a solutions journalism initiative that partners news, education and media organizations to help inform people about the plight of the Great Salt Lake—and what can be done to make a difference before it is too late. Read all of our stories at greatsaltlakenews.org.
