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Why should you conserve water?
There are many good
reasons to conserve water.
Although water conservation
helps, some people have misconceptions about what water conservation can
and can't do. At the bottom of this page, you can learn the facts and
help dispel some common conservation myths.
Additionally, you
can now see what Utahns have to say about
water conservation. If we all work together to conserve water, we
can help assure a bright and prosperous life for future generations. Become
an advocate of conservation in your community. Help promote conservation
as a wise and important water management principle.
Currently,
Utah consumes about 293 gallons per person per day (gpcd), second only to
Nevada. If Utahns can reduce per-capita consumption of water 25 percent
by 2050, they will conserve the equivalent of 400,000 acre-feet of water
per year. That is more water than can be held in Jordanelle Reservoir, and
more than any water project in Utah has developed.
Without water conservation,
we would have to develop a large volume of new water. With conservation,
some water development projects can be postponed or delayed by several
years.
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Conserving water saves
you money! Not only will your water bill go down, but as you heat less water,
your gas or energy bill will also decline. If your whole community conserves,
you will also pay less fees for water-related services. Water conserving
communities will not need to pay as much to develop new supplies and expand
or upgrade water and wastewater infrastructure.
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With the exception of
the western portion of Washington, Oregon, and northern California, the
western United States is arid and receives less annual precipitation than
the rest of the nation. Next to Nevada, Utah receives the least precipitation
- only 13 inches!
Because of Utah's
arid climate, Utahns water their landscapes extensively to keep them lush
and green. Most apply more water than needed. These landscapes, often
composed of non-native plants from wetter regions, consume nearly half
of Utah's municipal water supply.
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Water is the life-blood
of Utah's environment. From lush mountain meadows to harsh desert valleys,
water holds everything together--making the land inhabitable by people and
wildlife.
As Utah's population
grows, the strains placed upon the environment and its critical ecosystems
will increase. Conserving water will help preserve the environment by
minimizing necessary diversions and decreasing pollution.
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"If we conserve enough water, we don't
need to develop any more."
Even if we drastically
reduced the watering of our urban landscapes, projected population growth
would eventually make new water development necessary. Although conservation
can delay the need, it does not eliminate it.
Furthermore, when
a community is able to conserve a lot of water and delay its own infrastructure
needs, that does not automatically "free-up" the saved water
to satisfy the needs of another community. The community retains the right
to use the water for its future growth needs.
"Water
conservation will cost water suppliers needed revenue."
If a water supplier
uses a conservation-oriented rate structure, it will not lose the revenue
needed to meet its financial obligations. Such a rate structure separates
fixed costs associated with providing water (bonds, capital investments,
personal, etc.) from the variable costs (pumping, treatment, etc.). A
supplier can accomplish this by charging a base rate regardless of the
amount of water used and a separate rate for the actual water consumed.
"If we
don't use the water, it just flows out to the Great Salt Lake and is wasted."
Once water reaches
the Great Salt Lake, it is true that it is no longer fit for irrigation
or drinking water purposes. However, the lake is home to many mineral
extraction and brine shrimp industries and is a unique and valuable ecosystem.
Great Salt Lake is North America's largest inland sea and is internationally
recognized as an important resting and nesting area for millions of migratory
birds. The water that reaches the lake also passes through Utah's most
significant collection of wetlands, creating some of the state's most
diverse and productive wildlife habitat.
"Conservation
will require us to make major changes in lifestyle."
A significant level
of water conservation can be achieved without major changes in lifestyle.
Simply watering landscapes properly and utilizing efficient plumbing fixtures
and appliances in the home can reduce the per-capita water use by 25 percent.
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