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SALT LAKE CITY — Water managers in northern Utah say they're stepping up their efforts to keep people from watering when they shouldn't.
With water levels looking like they currently do in northern Utah, regulators say they have to do more to protect the supply.
"The reality of it is when we get into short snow years, a couple in a row, we have to step up our enforcement," said Weber Basin Water Conservancy District General Manager Tage Flint.
Flint says they've increased their publications to let residents know when they're restricted from watering their lawns. For this district, people are not allowed to use their sprinklers between 10 a.m. and 6 p.m. In return, more residents are taking note of when they see people breaking the rules.
We track those violations on a database, so we're sure to know when someone has been warned earlier. If they get a third warning, then they are subject to losing secondary water service for the year.
–Tage Flint.
"We have received many more calls from neighbors this year than we normally do," Flint said.
Flint says if one of their operators notices someone watering during restricted times, they'll get a warning.
"We track those violations on a database, so we're sure to know when someone has been warned earlier," he said.
People should take these warnings very seriously.
"If they get a third warning, then they are subject to losing secondary water service for the year," Flint said.
Secondary water is essentially untreated river water that is piped into homes strictly for outdoor use. Flint says these limitations do not include culinary water.
