One of Utah’s largest water providers announced it is looking at possibly enacting severe reductions for its users this summer.
Weber Basin Water Conservancy District is evaluating appropriate watering restrictions for this irrigation, according to the district.
The watering restrictions will be heavily influenced and supported by the District’s 2018 Drought Contingency Plan (DCP). The DCP brought together stakeholders including agricultural users, municipalities, irrigation companies, and industrial users to determine the most appropriate measures and demand reductions to implement based on drought conditions.
According to the district, current forecasts will have the area operating under the “Severe” drought response level designation found within the DCP. Some of the proposed demand reductions by DCP for this drought designation include a 60% reduction in waters available for outdoor irrigation of lawns and gardens (both culinary and secondary), a 40% reduction for agricultural use, and a 10% reduction for culinary indoor use.
If conditions remain the same over the next couple of months, the following water restrictions will be put in place:
- Delayed charging of the secondary irrigation/agricultural system to mid-May.
- No installation of new landscapes.
- One day a week watering of lawns and gardens. 20 minutes pop-up sprays, 40-minutes rotors.
- One day a week hand watering of established trees and shrubs.
- No hosing down sidewalks or driveways
- Agricultural contracts will be reduced by 40%.
- Wholesale and retail secondary irrigation contracts will be reduced by 60%.
- Wholesale culinary contracts will be reduced by 10%, with additional reductions proportional to the volume of culinary water used for outdoor irrigation
- Early shutoff of secondary irrigation/agricultural system in mid-September.