Governor Launches H2Oath Campaign For Utah Businesses
Jun 28, 2021, 6:34 PM | Updated: Jul 5, 2023, 1:01 pm
SOUTH JORDAN, Utah — A major water conservation challenge has been issued to Utah businesses by Gov. Spencer Cox and the Salt Lake Chamber. It’s called the Water Champions H2Oath.
The challenge was kicked off at a press conference Monday afternoon in front of a new Merit Medical facility in South Jordan. The backdrop showcased the zero landscaping the business has put in front of their building, which includes rocks, bushes and trees, and no sod.
“It’s actually quite attractive and a lot less expensive and a lot more responsible,” said Fred Lampropoulos, CEO of Merit Medical. “When we are all said and done, it’s hundreds of thousands of dollars a year (we are saving).”
Other business leaders at the gathering included Dave Peterson from OC Tanner, Chris Gamvroulas from Ivory Homes, and Martin Ritter with Stadler Rail. Each spoke of different ways they are conserving water at their businesses by tens of thousands of gallons.
Cox said not only do businesses need to conserve water, but residents as well. That’s when he called on Utahns to water their lawns only twice a week.
“It’s okay if your grass turns yellow or brown; it will survive for next year. But just by eliminating that water on a 1/4 acre of lawn, you are saving about 3,000 gallons of water every time you don’t water,” he said.
The Governor said he’s looking at incentives for families who want to remove their sod and replace it with water-wise landscaping. He said he’s also working with lawmakers to get rid of City and HOA ordinances that require strips of lawn along sidewalks.
“Those are the type of changes we need to make. HOA’s and cities that require these park strips, they use a tremendous amount of water. There is no real purpose for that, it is just decorative,” he said.
Water Challenge by @GovCox for businesses and residents asking residents to only water 2 times a week. Businesses to look at zero landscape @KSL5TV at 6:30 pic.twitter.com/PCwXwUbPLO
— Dan Rascon (@TVDanRascon) June 29, 2021
