Public Utilities Advises Stage 2 Drought

Salt Lake City Department of Public Utilities has recently announced a recommendation to move to a Drought Level Stage 2. In Stage 2, all Institutional Customers (parks, government facilities, schools, and churches) are required to remain within their established watering budget, and if a site does not have a budget, to limit watering to only two times per week. While there are no restrictions on homeowners and businesses, Public Utilities is asking that all water customers avoid watering more than twice a week. 

Planning and preparing for water shortages

Salt Lake City’s earliest leaders used foresight in developing a water utility that could address infrastructure challenges, drought and other acts of nature. Our water supply and distribution system are built and managed with redundancy — that is, with multiple water sources and storage capabilities. Our drinking water comes from the mountain watershed, wells, springs and groundwater. We draw water from storage and distribution reservoirs and distribution tanks across the Salt Lake Valley.

But water shortages are a historic reality and always a possibility.

In 2003, the Salt Lake City Council enacted its Water Shortage Contingency Ordinance. The ordinance empowers Public Utilities to maintain a Water Shortage Contingency Plan in the event of drought. The five-stage plan allows the Public Utilities director, based on water supply conditions and water demand patterns, to recommend the mayor enact a Water Shortage Stage of: Advisory, Mild, Moderate, Severe, or Critical. For information on recommended water use practices, see the 2003 Water Shortage Response Guide.

Stay up to date on local and regional drought information. Visit https://www.drought.gov/states/utah.