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SALT LAKE CITY — Water is the state's most precious natural resource, so everyone needs to do what they can to reduce water usage, Gov. Gary Herbert said Thursday at the launch of a new partnership to increase water conservation.
The governor, Home Depot and the state's water conservation campaign, "Slow the Flow, Save H20," joined forces to remind homeowners and businesses that if everyone does their part in conserving water, it will make a big different to Utah's future.
"Water is the only limiting factor to the growth that is taking place in the state of Utah, and so it is important to the state's success going forward," Herbert said.
Utah is the second-driest state in the nation, and with the second-fastest growing population, limited resources need to be stretched.
With the goal of reducing water use by homeowners and businesses, Home Depot is putting up water conservation messages in all of its stores to help customers learn easy ways to conserve water.
Approximately 60 percent of all municipal water is used outside during the summer months. If people can make minor changes to the way they water their lawn, they can save water, conservation officials said.
Tips include not watering lawns between 10 a.m. and 6 p.m. to reduce water evaporation, checking and repairing sprinkler systems, using new technology that can turn off water sprinklers when it's raining or when the lawn does not need water due to the soil water content, and replacing grass with more water-wise plants.
"Our goal is to reduce consumption by 25 percent by the year 2025, and we are on our way to doing that. We are about more than halfway toward that goal," Herbert said. "There is no reason we can't reach that goal, in spite of the growth pressure of more people moving into Utah."
