Water Conservation
Utah's Progress Toward Statewide Goal
Utah’s statewide water conservation goal has been “25% by 2025,” that is, to reduce per-capita M&I water use by 25% when starting at the value estimated for 2000. Thanks to the efforts of many Utahns and their water providers, 2015 M&I per capita water use declined by at least 18% since then. Annual reporting from many individual water suppliers confirms significant progress in water conservation. According to the state’s most recent data, the 2015 statewide M&I water use estimate is about 240 gallons per capita per day (gpcd). Water suppliers and users alike are commended for their efforts to reduce water use.
The water conservation mindset begins with individual water users. By recognizing water as a limited resource and changing their water use practices accordingly, water users will directly impact the overall water situation and the achievement of the regional goals. All Utahns are encouraged to do their part in conserving water for Utah’s future.
Please visit the Utah Division of Water Resources' water conservation site. You will find resources to help you conserve, data on our current water supply, and what Utah is doing to preserve and protect our water.
Why We Need to Conserve Water
Our population will double by 2065, so stretching our water supply is critical. Traditionally, two-thirds of Utah's growth has been from a "natural increase," from the population having children. This percentage is declining with more people moving in. Conservation is crucial to ensuring we have water now and for future generations.
| Reasons to Conserve Water | ||
|---|---|---|
| ✔ Limited water supply in Utah | ✔ To help meet future water demands | ✔ To improve water levels in reservoirs. |
| ✔ To postpone large water projects from having to be constructed. | ✔ To delay expensive capital investments to upgrade or expand existing water facilities. | ✔ To reduce sewage flows, delaying the need for more wastewater treatment facilities. |
| ✔ To conserve energy as less water needs to be treated, pumped, and distributed to the consumer. | ✔ To lessen the leaching of chemicals and sediments into streams and aquifers. | ✔ To keep a more sustainable way of life, balancing human needs with that of a natural environment. |