Gov. Cox Issues Water Conservation Order For State Facilities
May 3, 2021, 12:18 PM
FILE: (Photo by David McNew/Getty Images)
(Photo by David McNew/Getty Images)
SALT LAKE CITY, Utah – Gov. Spencer Cox has issued an executive order aimed at conserving water at all state facilities.
Executive Order 2021- 10 prohibits irrigation at state facilities between 10 a.m. and 6 p.m. and requires that sprinklers are shut off during rainstorms while making sure landscape watering systems are operating efficiently.
“Last year, Utah experienced one of the driest and hottest years on record and we anticipate another tough drought year ahead,” Cox said. “State government is committed to doing its part to conserve water and we encourage all Utahns to use this most precious resource wisely and sparingly.”
The order also encourages local governments to implement similar water restrictions on public landscaping and asks Utahns to reduce water consumption by taking shorter showers, converting turf to waterwise landscaping and replacing appliances with water-efficient models.
Cox declared a state of emergency due to severe drought conditions statewide on March 17.
Over 90% of Utah was experiencing extreme drought conditions with 57% of the state seeing exceptional drought — the highest level used by the National Drought Mitigation Center at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln.
Officials with the Utah Department of Natural Resources said recent storms were not enough to pull the state out of drought, and the snowpack peaked 10 days early at 81% of average.
