As the drought continues, what are Utahns doing to conserve water, and how well are we doing?
To answer that question, FOX 13 News spoke with the Utah Division of Water Resources to see what effect the conservation efforts are having on the drought situation.
“We have been in drought eight of the last 10 years, and the drought impacts are really just compounding as we keep, you know, adding here after a year of drought conditions,” said division director Candice Hasenyager. “Because we don't know how long this drought will last, it really is important that we use our current water supplies as wisely as possible.”
But answering the question of how Utahns are doing is complicated.
"I think we're still waiting for individual reports to kind of be able to answer that question in more detail," Hasenyager said.
However, a metric of conservation is showing that Utahns are excelling are excelling this year.
“What I can say is that we've seen a big spike in programs, as far as, like, our rebate programs that are offered through Utah Water Savers," Hasenyager said.
Things like taking advantage of flipping the strip, smart controllers and rebates are all spiking in usage this year — showing that many Utahns are taking the initiative to individually save water.
Still, as Utahns do their part, there’s always more that can be done.
“It seems like there's a lot of momentum and interest in how can we be more conservation-minded in the long term,” Hasenyager said. "There are 3.2 million people in this state. We all have the ability, whether big or small, to make a difference in how we use water, and it'll help us in the long term if we're all a little more water conscious."
