Water Conservation by Not Wasting Water
Stephanie Duer, Salt Lake City Water Conservation Coordinator
July 2, 2001
Living in Salt Lake City, water is something we cannot take for granted, and with below average snow packs and below average spring rains, it is even more important than ever that we make wise choices about how we use this precious and limited resource.
Salt Lake City is growing rapidly, both in its resident population and as an industrial and commercial center. But with that growth comes increased demand on existing infrastructures—such as reservoirs, canals, and dams—that deliver water. New sources for water will become increasingly difficult to obtain, and increasingly expensive to deliver. How will we ensure that we have an adequate supply of high quality water for our children and ourselves? Where will we find new sources of water to take us into a future that is as prosperous as our past has been? There are answers to these questions that involve new technologies and costly additions to our infrastructure. But there is one thing we can do right now, starting today, that will increase our supply of water. Starting today, we can stop wasting water.
A water shortage is not inevitable. Based on water use reports, Salt Lake City Public Utilities has estimated that the average household uses approximately 250 to 300 gallons of water outside per day. University of Utah Extension specialists estimate that we waste as much as 50 percent of all the water we use outside. That means that each household is wasting as much as 125 to 150 gallons of water a day. We waste water when we let it run down the gutters. We waste water when we water on rainy or windy days. We waste water by watering our lawns more than is necessary. But mostly, we waste water when we do not make conscious choices about how we use our water.
Salt Lake City Public Utilities is asking everyone—residents, business, industry, and the public sector—to save 20 percent of the water that this being used outside. We are asking that everyone save the water we are not using—to stop wasting our precious resource.
Here are some simple things we can do to stop wasting water. If we all follow these guidelines, we can extend our supply of water farther into the future.
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Don’t water between 10 a.m. and 6 p.m.
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Don’t water on rainy or windy days
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Avoid watering gutters, sidewalks, and driveways
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Use a broom to clean sidewalks and driveways
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Water lawns less frequently and mow lawns higher
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Repair misaligned and broken sprinkler heads
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Sign up for a free home water check through USU Extension Services
If we all begin to make wise choices about how and when we use our water, not only will we be saving water and money now, we will be saving our resources for the future. Saving water isn’t about giving up the water we are using. We can make our goal of saving 20 percent if we simply begin saving the water we are wasting, starting today.
If you would like more information on water conservation, or are interested in scheduling a home water check, contact one of the following agencies or departments:
Stephanie Duer, Salt Lake City Water Conservation Coordinator
(801) 483-6860
Slow the Flow’ Campaign (for water checks)
(801) 877-SAVE H2O
Salt Lake City Public Utilities Department