Water Conservation

Water Conservation

Water Only As Needed

Cooler spring weather combined with additional rainfall has been beneficial, however over 80% of Utah including the Highland area is still in extreme drought. The good news is Highland residents have heard our conservation cries and heeded the call. To date, there has been 17% less water usage than last year and 26% less than 2020. Please keep up the good work! The drought will ultimately restrict the allocation of water we’ll receive from our sources with Provo River Water which is where we get much of our water in the later part of the summer. So, even as temperatures rise, please continue to water appropriate to the weather conditions. If a summer storm comes through or temperatures drop, turn off your clocks for a watering day or two. When you do water, remember to follow the following water schedule: 

1. Even numbered street addresses: Monday, Wednesday, and Friday 
2. Odd numbered street addresses: Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday.
3. Watering hours are from 6:00 p.m. on the assigned day to 10:00 a.m. the following day. 

Follow @conserveutahwater on Facebook or visit conservewater.utah.gov to get a weekly watering schedule to know how many irrigations your landscape needs that week. You can also find other conservation information including how to do your own water check on your sprinkler system, rebate programs for taking water conservation steps, waterwise landscaping, and how to “flip your strip” from grass to a water-wise strip. 

Frequently Asked Questions

Why does the City water during the day? 

Large areas such as parks, schools, churches, etc. require a great deal of pressure to water. If those users’ areas are also watered at night, nearby residents’ water pressure could be impacted when they are trying to water. Further, the City's sprinklers are industrial sprinkler heads that mist less than residential heads, thus reducing evaporation. In addition, some spaces are so large and require so many stations, it's impossible to avoid watering during the day. 

 Why does the City water when it's raining? 

The City owns and maintains over 180 acres of landscaped parks, parkway strips, etc. That translates into an enormous number of sprinkler controllers throughout the City. While newer areas have smart controllers, many of our systems are not upgraded. With only one full-time position over City sprinklers, it's unfeasible to shut off each sprinkler system and then turn them all back on again.

Is our drinking water supply at risk?

Culinary water (drinking water) comes from different sources than pressurized irrigation water.  Pressurized irrigation water is largely obtained from "surface sources" such as runoff from American Fork Canyon. In contrast, culinary water is obtained largely through ground sources such as wells. Because groundwater comes from deep in the earth, it is less susceptible to drought conditions than surface water.

If we have water shortages, why does development continue to occur?

When development occurs within the City, developers are required to provide water shares to support the development they are building. The City then adds those water shares to our system to provide additional water for those new residents.