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OGDEN — Weber State University has cut water usage by about 30% thanks to an ambitious water conservation plan that was supposed to be accomplished by 2025. Now the school has plans to cut back even more.
That's about 50 million gallons of water the university is now saving per year.
The planning started back in 2016 with the idea that some tough drought conditions were coming. That's when the school hired Drew Hodge as the water conservation and stormwater coordinator.
"There was some faculty on campus that did some studies on water," Hodge said. "We're doing very well in our energy goals and things like that and so the — really, the university was looking forward, what's next?"
It took a few years to create the plan but Hodge said by 2019, things were rolling. They switched to more water-efficient irrigation and toilets and they replaced some of the old plants and grass with some that thrive naturally in Utah's desert conditions.
Landscaping employees also started competing to see who could save the most water.
"It spurred a lot of great ideas, and it spurred the desire to do more projects," Hodge said.
In 2021, the school hit its planned goal early with water use down about 30%.
He said, "It's substantial, you know? Especially in our secondary water numbers. We were able to cut them quite a bit."
The school isn't done. Hodge said he's ready to set new goals.
"We're really moving away from grass and that's the new norm for our facility and it's going to have to be, I think, for many facilities," he added.
Xeriscaping will become the norm.
The pond at Linquist Plaza will likely become more than just that with some of the water to be used as a future irrigation source.
"This is the route Utah has to go now and it's doable. It's completely doable," Hodge said.
Weber State University's full water action plan is available here.
