SALT LAKE CITY — Laura Briefer is optimistic about Salt Lake City's water capacity this year despite the decision made last week to keep the city in the second phase of its water shortage contingency plan.

The city's water sources are holding steady and the wetter soil moisture across the region is expected to provide better flow. Those sources include Deer Creek Reservoir during the driest years and when Salt Lake City needs to meet summer demand. Starting the irrigation season in the second stage of the plan is more of a precaution based on the summer outlook and the fear that dry conditions will persist beyond this year.

"Right now, we're not anticipating mandated requirements for residents and businesses, in part because our community has shown they can voluntarily save a lot of water, as they did last summer," said Briefer, the director of Salt Lake City Department of Public Utilities, which oversees not just Salt Lake City's water but also water needs in Millcreek, Cottonwood Heights and parts of Holladay, Murray, Midvale and unincorporated territory in Salt Lake County.

Salt Lake City Mayor Erin Mendenhall on Wednesday asked residents to voluntarily find ways to reduce use by about five gallons of water every day.

When projected supply levels fall below normal, phases of the city's contingency plan come into play. Phase two, for example, begins when the projected water supply dips to 80% of the average annual supply.

When that happened last year, government properties faced new water restrictions while residents were asked to conserve water. The city ended up saving 2 billion gallons of water last year, which wasn't just close to a 20% reduction but enough water to fill up Mountain Dell Reservoir more than twice. The response was much better than the 5% reduction the city plan recommends in phase two.

So what about this year's water outlook? Briefer said better soil moisture levels in areas around the city's system are expected to provide a more efficient spring runoff than last year, despite another below-average snowpack.

However, the National Weather Service Colorado Basin River Forecast Center tweeted Wednesday that it now projects runoff to the Great Salt Lake to be about 60% of normal this year. That projection is based on a dry first quarter of the year around all of the lake's waterways, including parts of Salt Lake City's system. Utah, overall, posted its fourth driest first quarter on record.

The weather service's Climate Prediction Center's three-month outlook for Utah isn't ideal, either. It lists almost all of Utah among the highest probability of below-average precipitation at the end of spring and start of summer in the nation.

Briefer said Wednesday that the city will continue to monitor water supply and demand in case those factors adjust the current outlook.

"We could make a change later in the irrigation season," she added.

Related:

Salt Lake City remains in 2nd phase of water shortage plan, as county outlines new laws

Utah's capital city will start the irrigation year where it left off last year in terms of water restrictions.

Phase three of the plan, which calls for a 15% water consumption reduction, begins when projected water levels fall to 70% of the average annual supply. This is where "clear restrictions that affect all customers" are established.

But city officials don't want to reach that level or place any mandatory restrictions. They were pleased with last summer's voluntary response and hope for it again.

"We still want people to conserve because if we have another drought year next year or multiple drought years in a row, we really want to save that insurance bonus," she said.

How to cut back

Some businesses have already stepped up to voluntarily help — not just in Salt Lake City but elsewhere in the state. For instance, Intermountain Healthcare announced Wednesday that it plans to cut back 17.5 million gallons of water annually by implementing a massive landscaping overhaul at five of its facilities in Salt Lake and Utah counties.

The plan includes removing 19 acres of grass and planting more than 350 trees that are expected to vastly reduce water consumption and even save more than $200,000 in various costs.

"A major benefit of our sustainability efforts means the money we don't use on running our facilities can go back into funding our health programs for patients and the community," Glen Garrick, the system sustainability director for Intermountain Healthcare, said in a statement.

But not everyone has to take drastic steps to make an impact, Briefer says. People can save water by taking shorter showers, turning off the water when they brush their teeth and checking for leaks in plumbing.

When watering outside, she said people should use water "appropriately" — like watering lawns only two or three times a week at most, instead of daily. Aside from Grand, Kane, San Juan and Washington counties, which are recommended to irrigate once a week, the Utah Division of Water Resources doesn't recommend anyone water in the state right now.

Briefer says people usually overwater their lawns, noting residents should also check for irrigation leaks or inefficiencies. Much like last year, experts agree that it's OK for lawns to go yellow.

"It's OK for brown spots to appear in your yard," she adds. "You'll see brown spots at our parks, public lands and golf courses this summer."

Plans to improve the environment around SLC

Salt Lake City leaders didn't want to wait until Friday to celebrate Earth Day, so they hosted an event at the 900 South Constructed Wetland to talk about short-term and long-term recommendations for sustainability, as well. The wetlands were established after the city improved its storm drainage into the Jordan River about a decade ago, eliminating one source of contaminated water from reaching the river.

"Every day is Earth Day for us in sustainability," Sophia Nicholas, deputy director of Salt Lake City's sustainability division, said, as a red-winged blackbird chirped from a tree behind her and a starling glided overhead.

She said the holiday is important because it reminds everyone that there is still a major need to reduce carbon emissions, improve air and water quality, and so much more.

Crews broke ground last fall on a new solar plant in Tooele expected to help provide 100% net renewable energy for all residents, businesses and industrial operations by the end of the decade. Nicholas said the city is working to incentivize more electric vehicles and more public transit, as well.

Salt Lake City is also in the process of a building a massive $800 million project to replace its water reclamation plant in Rose Park, which is the city's second-biggest public works project behind the new airport. It's expected to be completed by 2025 to meet new federal standards. It will help reduce contamination in the Jordan River and the Great Salt Lake.

"We have a tremendous responsibility with respect to the water cycle here in Salt Lake City," Briefer said. "I believe Earth Day is an opportunity to reflect on actions we can take to protect the environment and steward the natural resources which we depend on."

Related topics