Conservation

Water Conservation in Utah

Utah is a state that faces water scarcity due to its arid climate and growing population. Therefore, conserving water is essential to ensure enough water for everyone's needs. Here are some ways to save water in Utah:

1. Fix leaks: Check for leaks in your plumbing system regularly and fix them promptly. Leaks can waste a lot of water over time, and fixing them can save a significant amount.

2. Use water-efficient appliances: Install low-flow toilets, showerheads, and faucets. These appliances use less water than traditional ones and can save water and money on your water bills.

3. Water landscaping efficiently: Use native plants as they require less water and are better adapted to Utah's climate. Also, water your plants during the cooler parts of the day to reduce water loss due to evaporation.

4. Collect rainwater: Collecting rainwater in barrels or other containers can be a great way to conserve water. You can use the collected water for watering your plants or washing your car.

5. Use a pool cover: If you have a swimming pool, use a cover to reduce water evaporation. This can save a lot of water in the long run.

6. Use a broom instead of a hose: Instead of using a hose to clean your driveway or sidewalk, use a broom. This can save a significant amount of water.

7. Time your showers: Take shorter showers and time them to limit water usage. You can also install a low-flow showerhead to save water while enjoying a refreshing shower.

8. Don't let the faucet run: When you brush your teeth, wash your face, or shave, turn it off when you're not actively using it, and let the faucet run wastes a lot of water.

9. Use a dishwasher: Use a dishwasher to wash your dishes instead of washing them by hand. Dishwashers use less water than hand washing, especially if you have a water-efficient dishwasher.

10. Use a car wash: Instead of washing your car at home, use a commercial car wash that recycles water. This can save a lot of water and help reduce water pollution.

11. Use mulch in your garden: Adding mulch to your garden can help retain moisture in the soil, reducing the need for frequent watering.

12. Use a water timer: Use a water timer on your sprinkler system to ensure your lawn and garden are watered only when needed. This can help prevent overwatering and reduce water waste.

13. Harvest greywater: Install a greywater system to capture water from your shower, bathtub, or washing machine and use it to water your plants.

14. Educate others: Educate your friends, family, and neighbors about the importance of water conservation and encourage them to adopt water-saving practices.

By implementing these water conservation strategies, you can contribute to the sustainable management of Utah water resources and help ensure enough water for future generations.

Below are some additional websites and resources you can use to help conserve our water here in Utah.

2022/2023 Utah Water Legislation:

https://water.utah.gov/legislation/

Water Conservation - get involved!

Follow these links below to read about how you can implement simple changes inside and outside your home.

• Utah Water Savers
• Localscapes
• Slow the Flow
• Center for Water-Efficient Landscaping
• USU Extension Conservation
• Become an EvapoTranspiration Observer
• Water Use It Wiseley
• Utah Coordinated Action Plan for Water
• Alliance for Water Efficiency
• American Water Works Association
• Jordan Valley Water Conservation Programs and Resources
• Water Use Calculator
• Conservation Plan Resources
• Report Water Waste
• H2Oath
• Weekly Lawn Watering Guide
• Water Wise Plants for Utah Landscapes
• Landscape Rebates
• WaterSense Rebate Finder

Resources

• Cloud Seeding
• Agricultural Water Optimization Task Force
• Current & Upcoming Irrigation Technologies and Practices Applicable to Utah

• View our Resource Library for more information on the Colorado River.

Water Facts World Wide Water Supply

• Water covers about 71% of the earth's surface.
• 326 million cubic miles of water on the planet.
• 97% of the earth's water is found in the oceans (too salty for drinking, growing crops, and most industrial uses except cooling).
• 320 million cubic miles of water in the oceans.
• 3% of the earth's water is fresh.
• 2.5% of the earth's freshwater is unavailable: locked up in glaciers, polar ice caps, atmosphere, and soil; highly polluted; or lies too far under the earth's surface to be extracted at an affordable cost.
• 0.5% of the earth's water is available in freshwater.
• If the world's water supply were only 100 liters (26 gallons), our usable water supply of fresh water would be only about 0.003 liters (one-half teaspoon).
• In actuality, that amounts to an average of 8.4 million liters (2.2 million gallons) for each person on earth.
• This supply is continually collected, purified, and distributed in the natural hydrologic (water) cycle.

If the Earth Were a Globe 28 Inches in Diameter:

• All of the water on the planet would fill less than one cup.
• Only 0.03% of one cup is in rivers and freshwater lakes.
• Slightly more than one drop of water would fill all the rivers and lakes.

*Some of this lies too far under the earth's surface to be extracted at an affordable cost

Sources of Fresh Water

• Groundwater - water that infiltrates into the ground through porous materials deeper into the earth. It fills pores and fractures in layers of underground rock called aquifers. Some of this water lies too far under the earth's surface to be extracted at an affordable cost.
• Surface-water runoff - precipitation that does not infiltrate into the ground or return to the atmosphere: streams, rivers, lakes, wetlands, and reservoirs.
• Snow that is 4 inches (10cm) deep contains about the same amount of water as 1/3 inch (1 cm) of rain.

Water Use in the U.S.

• 8% domestic use
• 33% agriculture
• 59% industry
• Over 600 gallons per day per person in the U.S. is being diverted for farm irrigation and livestock use from natural aquatic sources.
• More than half the people in the U.S. get their water from groundwater.

Measures of Water Use

• Water withdrawal - taking water from groundwater or surface-water source and transporting it to a place of use.
• Water consumption - water that has been withdrawn and is not available for reuse in the area from which it is withdrawn.
• In the U.S. about three-fourths of the fresh water withdrawn each year comes from rivers, lakes and reservoirs; one-fourth comes from groundwater aquifers.
• 80% of water withdrawn in the U.S. is used for cooling electric power plants and for irrigation.

• A leak that fills up a coffee cup in 10 minutes will waste over 3,000 gallons of water in a year. That's 65 glasses of water every day for a year.
• A leaky toilet can waste over 22,000 gallons of water in one year; enough to take three baths every day.

Garden Water Use

• Americans use about 1/3 more water in the summer than they do the rest of the year because they're watering their lawns.
• There are about 10 million acres of lawn in the U.S., which requires 270 billion gallons of water every week. That's enough to give every person in the world a shower for four days in a row.
• Most lawns only need an inch of water each week.

Water in the Body

• Eye - 95% water
• Total body weight - 75% water

Water Pollution

• A gallon of paint or a quart of motor oil can seep into the earth and pollute 250,000 gallons of drinking water.
• A spilled gallon of gasoline can pollute 750,000 gallons of water.

Sources

• Aquatic Project WILD; Western Regional Environmental Education Council
• Flying Start Science-Water; Kim Taylor
• Folsom Dam Fact Sheets; Bureau of Reclamation
• Layperson's Guide to The American River; Water Education Foundation
• Living in the Environment, An Introduction to Environmental Science; G. Tyler Miller Jr.
• Water Facts; Water Education Foundation
• 50 Simple Things Kids Can Do To Save The Earth; The EarthWorks Group