SALT LAKE CITY — For the first time since 2004, Salt Lake City's drought situation is severe enough that it will move to the second phase of its five-stage water shortage response plan, which kicks into play stronger water conservation efforts.

Salt Lake City Mayor Erin Mendenhall announced the city's move Thursday, a little more than two months after she first enacted the city's water shortage contingency plan. She said the decision was made because indications show a severe drought will remain in place for the coming months in Salt Lake City and across Utah.

"Relying on data and advice from our water supply experts, we will increase our conservation efforts from an earlier Stage 1 to Stage 2 of our City Water Shortage Contingency Plan," she said in a statement.

Mendenhall first enacted the city's water shortage contingency plan on March 24, a week after Gov. Spencer Cox issued an emergency declaration over the statewide drought conditions. The first phase was an advisory stage of the five-stage plan, which meant the city upped efforts to educate residents about ways to conserve water.

According to the city's plan, Stage 2 is triggered when water supply levels are projected to be 80% of the average annual supply and conditions haven't improved after a contingency plan is started. Laura Briefer, director of the Salt Lake City Department of Public Utilities, said that the city's snowpack, streamflow and reservoir storage are all "exceedingly low."

Salt Lake City's spring precipitation has improved greatly from last year's third-driest spring on record; however, the city remains well below normal in terms of precipitation collected in the water year so far, according to National Weather Service data. Salt Lake City entered Thursday 4.27 inches of precipitation below normal in the water year, which began on Oct. 1, 2020, and 1.6 inches below where it should be at this point in the calendar year.

"Less precipitation means our soil moisture is also exceptionally low," Briefer added in a statement. "The U.S. Department of Agriculture indicates that most of Salt Lake County is in 'exceptional drought' and drought in our region is anticipated to be persistent through the coming months. As the summer watering season progresses, we want to be proactive and timely in our response."

City officials explained that most actions under the second phase in the plan will be voluntary for residents; however, municipal and other government facilities will be tasked with cutting back on watering. Government facilities that use Salt Lake City water service will be required to stay within "established watering budgets" and implement practices that reduce water use and water waste regardless of whether water waste is intentional or accidental.

Related:

Salt Lake City mayor issues water conservation 'Stage 1 Advisory' amid drought

Citing current and projected drought conditions all over the county, Salt Lake City Mayor Erin Mendenhall on Wednesday issued a "Stage 1 Advisory" for water conservation under the city's water shortage contingency plan.

There will be coordination between government agencies and school districts that use Salt Lake City, officials said. The point of the second stage of the plan is to make sure that the water supply is managed "conservatively enough to avoid or minimize the need for later, more stringent actions."

Most of Cottonwood Heights, Millcreek and townships on the east bench of Salt Lake County, as well as smaller parts of South Salt Lake and Murray, use Salt Lake City's water services. The city provides water to more than 360,000 residents in the county.

When the city last reached the second stage of its contingency plan in 2004, conditions worsened to the point that it also reached the third stage of the plan. By that point, parks and golf courses were forced to cut back 15% of water use, fundraising car washes were banned, and the city shut off all water fountains.

Tips to conserve water can be found at slowtheflow.org.

Officials also recommended that anyone who uses Salt Lake City water follow the Utah Department of Natural Resources' weekly watering guide. It uses weather conditions and forecasts to recommend when to best water lawns. Residents can also sign up for a free water check conducted by the Utah State University Extension. The review helps find more efficient watering levels for lawns and landscapes.

"I am asking everyone to use the water you need, but with purpose and respect for a precious and limited natural resource," Mendenhall said. "We can do this."

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