Its That Time of Year Again: Water Saving Edition!

Southern Utahns are more familiar than most with water-saving methods despite the area’s prolific golf courses.  

New types of turf, less grassy areas, and citywide energy-saving mandates are all part of the larger plan to conserve water. However, there are things that individuals can do to help too though not everyone is great at putting them into practice (guilty!). You might even be wondering if you NEED to do any of the usual water-conserving tasks since it’s been such a wet year.  

Well, the answer is yes.  

The Utah Division of Water Resources reported that the state received 137% of its normal precipitation which is much improved from last year’s 7% below normal. The state experienced a lot of water runoff that refilled lakes, rivers, streams, and reservoirs that desperately needed it. The UDWR attributes this fantastic runoff to soil moisture.  

The reservoir storage is at 86% (72% is normal this time of year) and the Great Salt Lake’s salinity and water levels are improving. So, everything looks to be going great especially after the insane drought. However, conserving water is something that’s still needed despite this improvement.  

Meaning your showers should still be short.  

“Continued conservation is essential to stretch the water supply,” Candice Hasenyager, the director of the Division of Water Resources, said. “Precipitation isn’t promised, and we don’t know what next year will bring.” 

The U.S. Geological Survey has a few ideas on how you can effectively conserve water without sacrificing the ease of modern-day technology.  

• Use the dishwasher, but make sure it’s full and try not to use it every day. The USGS says that it saves more water than washing dishes by hand. If you don’t have a dishwasher, soak your dishes beforehand to help with saving water.  
• Showers are always better than baths and the shorter the shower the better. 
• Turn your washer onto an energy saving setting.