February 1, 2024

Salt Lake City Department of Public Utilities (SLCDPU) has completed its report on water use efficiency at City properties, identifying ways the City can further conserve and use our finite water resources wisely.

One of Salt Lake City Mayor Erin Mendenhall’s goals is to make the City more responsive to and resilient in the face of climate change and ongoing drought. 

“I’m so proud of Salt Lakers for prioritizing water conservation,” said Mayor Mendenhall. “It’s important that our City takes stock of the water we use in our facilities, just like homeowners, institutions, and businesses, which is why I tasked Public Utilities with this endeavor in 2023. We’ve identified areas for improvement and will keep looking for opportunities to conserve water and be efficient so we’re a responsible steward.”

With a vast array of municipal facilities to support the City’s services, including recreation spaces, buildings, fleet operations, and fire stations, water consumption at City properties represents about 4.45% of annual water use across the City’s regional water service area. This equates to slightly more than one billion gallons of water used annually to support City functions. 

“Water conservation is one of the best ways to be good water stewards, providing resilience for our community, protecting the Great Salt Lake, and extending our existing water supply,” said SLCDPU Director Laura Briefer. “For decades, we have asked our residents and businesses to use water more efficiently. Auditing water usage at our own City facilities is a critical step toward making changes in our municipal water consumption, behaviors which we can and must change.”

Salt Lake City’s Water Use Efficiency Report identified potential water savings of at least five million gallons annually by implementing best management practices at City facilities and during City operations.

Some actions will be easier to implement than others; for example, Salt Lake City Facilities staff will replace all the faucet aerators at the Public Safety Building and Salt Lake City Police Department’s Pioneer Precinct. City staff have already seized the opportunity to plan for future, larger improvements such as replacing the cooling tower at the Main Branch of the Salt Lake City Public Library and Plaza 349.

With the support of Mayor Mendenhall and the Salt Lake City Council, City staff will collaborate and plan to capitalize on remaining opportunities for water savings. The complete executive report of the audit is available for review at https://www.slcdocs.com/utilities/pdf%20files/conservation/2023%20slc%20water%20use%20efficiency%20executive%20report.pdf.