Water usage is trending high in Salt Lake City, Salt Lake Public Utilities says
SALT LAKE CITY () — As Utah begins to reach the dog days of summer, when temperatures are at their hottest, the Salt Lake City Department of Public Utilities (SLCDPU) is reporting that water demand is rising.
On Thursday, SLCDPU said the water demand over the past few weeks has been trending higher when compared to the average water demand during the same time period over the last three years.
'To date, total water use has increased five percent, with outdoor water use up 10 percent,' said Laura Briefer, SLCDPU director. 'Though snowpack in our area was average this year and our reservoirs are full right now, overall runoff is lower than expected and much of the state is projecting drought conditions.'
Utah's snowpack has been trending downward since the record-breaking year in the 2022-23 winter season. In 2024, the snowwater equivalent peaked at 18.8 inches compared to 2023's 30 inches. shows that the 2025 year peaked only at 14.4 inches.
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Since the start of the calendar year, drought conditions have been across the state. Only 4.5% of Utah has no drought conditions, according to the U.S. Drought Monitor, down from 11.78% at the start of the year. Over 95% of the state is experiencing at least abnormally dry conditions, and 44% of Utah is in severe drought.
'It is important that our community members continue to focus on water conservation given these factors and the potential for drought conditions to worsen,' said Breifer.
The majority of Utahns per week, as of the most recent entry in the Utah Division of Water Resources' weekly watering guide.
The Division of Water Resources said lawns can sustain a large amount of overwatering before any negative consequences like disease, weeds and insect pests become apparent.
'Because of this, it's typically overwatered,' DWR said. 'One way to conserve water and maintain plant health is to avoid overwatering.'
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The weekly watering guide, which is typically updated every Thursday, assumes you use only half an inch of water per watering event. But every system is different. For the most accurate run time and for your watering system, DWR recommends getting , available in Salt Lake City, Sandy, Millcreek, Holladay, Cottonwood Heights, Iron County and San Juan County.
For those where the free water check is not available, on how to complete your own water check.
The Salt Lake City Department of Public Utilities said there are many different ways for homeowners, property owners and businesses to lessen their demand on water. These range from landscape rebates to low-water grass seeds and irrigation controllers to toilets.
To learn more, you can visit the or
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