The Jimenezes have already recorded some water savings. When connections arent metered, it is difficult to track and conserve secondary water. SALT LAKE CITY Most of Utahs municipal water goes outdoors about 70 percent. Call said this summer has jump-started fruitful discussions by residents on water conservation practices. Spencer Cox said that last summer he took a bit of criticism after he asked residents both religious and nonreligious to pray or seek divine intervention for rainfall to counter the effects of the drought. Unpaid water bills will disqualify applicants from the Flip Your Strip program. Sixty percent of our municipal water goes toward outdoor watering. $19.20 - $22.80 hourly, 9 days ago Contractor Drip emitters and spray heads must be on separate zones. The programs are available to all eight counties within the districts coverage area and being funded at a half million dollars. We have to work with the resources on the ground, he said, but noted the paradox of having drought drive home the need for more water storage with the reality of less water available for storage. Communities can work with either a partner water district or the division to adopt landscape standards that qualify for the statewide program. SALT LAKE CITY Most of Utah's municipal water goes outdoors about 70 percent. and establishing a statewide turf buyback program. Cities can opt in for their residents, who can be compensated $1 per square foot of lawn strip removal or $1.25 if they take a class. Receive up to $1.25 per square foot for replacing the lawn in your park strip with a water-efficient design. . Further information can be found on the states website. Previously converted park strips do not qualify for this program at this time. While noting that turf buyback programs like Jordan Valleys Flip Your Strip are local-centric, Cox said he wants Utah to be the first state in the nation to implement its own. An effort to require all new secondary water connections be metered was brought up legislatively a few years ago, but the bill was modified and not nearly as aggressive as its sponsor wanted it to be. Very low water levels at Jordanelle Reservoir in Wasatch County are pictured after Gov. Secondary water is a water source thats not treated and non-potable. Rebate checks will be issued to the name on property's water bill. We have encouraged all of our departments within Weber County to investigate ways to conserve water, he said, adding the ice rink is one of the countys larger consumers. Drip systems must include filter and pressure regulators visible for inspection: Drip emitters must be rated at 5 gallons per hour or less. If landscape fabric is used (not recommended), it must be permeable to water and air. We have a lot of grass around here that were starting to re-think and say, 'If you only use it to mow it? The newly passed turf buy-back bill encourages people to replace their lawns with landscaping that uses less water. Utah wants to be the first and is working to expand this program statewide. Turf buyback programs like " Flip Your Strip " incentivize people to replace thirsty grass with waterwise options. The program, authorized by the Utah State Legislature earlier this year, is expected to launch in the spring. Everybody thinks about grass and gardens, but there are a lot of other uses too, he said. In terms of individual water use, one measure by a Utah County lawmaker will create a great opportunity for water saving measures. Utah governor wants to buy back your lawn, Utah lawmakers took good first step on environment worries, Baby, its dry outside: How the drought is affecting Utah. Landscape Consultations. Theres not much more the state can do about the drought in the short term. Residents in areas that have adopted qualifying landscape standards are eligible for state rebate funding. Copyright 2022 Scripps Media, Inc. All rights reserved. Flip Your Strip involves removing lawn from your park strip and replacing it with water-efficient plants and a drip irrigation system. Spencer J. Cox joined water officials from around the state to highlight current conservation efforts and outline measures needed to plan for Utahs water future. Governor Deidre Henderson ceremonially sign key water legislation at Jordanelle Reservoir in Wasatch County on Monday, April 18, 2022. It would be nice to see them replacing that with xeriscape," Mayor Randall said. Like Cox, Ferry emphasized the critical factor of collaboration. Attend a park strip class. 1/10/2022. The Jimenezes' neighbors have admired the landscaping project and expressed an interest in doing it themselves. Turf buyback . For North Ogden resident Chelsea Baker, her family is taking the restrictions in stride. Nominate Someone for a FOX 13 Dream Team Surprise! Park strips must be currently landscaped with living, well-maintained lawn. Download one of our easy park strip designs and start there. To register visit. The division has partnered with the Central Utah, Jordan Valley, Washington County and Weber Basin Water Conservancy Districts to increase program awareness, increase funding and develop program requirements. (Isaac Hale | Special to The Tribune) Waves break on the shoreline of Utah Lake near the American Fork Boat Harbor on Thursday, June 17, 2021. Send it to the KSL NewsRadio team here. But the grass seed is designed to grow quickly in the . Spencer Cox and Lt. Communities within these districts service areas should work with their district to adopt qualifying landscape standards. Last month, Utah Gov. The requirement that general plans of cities and counties integrate land use planning with water as a consideration. "We've done it ourselves to save the water. Mayor Randall said some of the policy changes may be painful for some residents, but they are necessary. $19.00 - $20.00 hourly, 4 days ago Full time Cox may have a tough time getting them to dip into ARPA funds for the program, as lawmakers have already said they want that money to be used for generational programs. SALT LAKE CITY The Utah State Legislature is considering bills to encourage people get rid of "non-functional turf" and block cities and HOAs from requiring lawns. Spencer Cox said Utahns are getting the message to conserve water amid the crippling drought gripping almost all of the state which is about the only weapon in Utahs arsenal right now. The Salt Lake Tribune, Inc. is a 501(c)(3) public charity and contributions are tax . 118 Water Efficient Landscaping Incentives, sponsored by Sen. Sandall, expands on the popular "turf buyback" program. ", Kari said she would have liked to have gotten some money to "help with offsetting material and that type of stuff.". Spencer Cox speaks about water conservation as Lt. Gov. No, we do not promote the removal of trees from landscapes; however, trees must be watered with the installed drip irrigation system following conversion. It is also being offered at Weber Basin Water Conservancy District because Layton City adopted via an ordinance the institution of the program. "They loved how the project has come out. Localscapes Rewards. All rights reserved. Some towns are already out of water, such as Echo in Summit County which has been forced to truck in drinking water from Henefer. "When a lot of these. Information on the district-level programs and others can be found on the Utah Water Savers site. Whether you're installing a new landscape or renovating an existing one, following the Localscapes five-step approach will give you a landscape that thrives! State Facility Water Conservation (HB121), Washington County Water Conservancy District site. I just heard a lot about the drought, grasshoppers in the middle of the country, how it is affecting farmers, and our yard honestly is not amazing. (Utah State Capitol. The state passed a bill trying to change that. This is generational.. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. . Projects that replace lawn with artificial turf are not eligible. This year, Im getting quite nervous as we have had multiple months without the water we need.. You still have a place where neighbors can congregate and stand and have that feel, but the entire front lawn isnt grass," Renstrom said. In one month, Kari said, they had 14,000 less gallons of water used than the previous year. Consider that 99% of Utah is in severe drought and 28 of Utahs largest 45 reservoirs are below 55% of available capacity. During the legislative session, there was significant action to help the Great Salt Lake, which reached its historic low last year and continues to shrink. But theres still a lot we need to do," she said. The state will pay for up to 50 percent of the cost. Governor Deidre Henderson, South Jordan Mayor Dawn Ramsey, Central Utah Water conservation manager Rick Maloy and Jordan Valley Water Conservancy District general manager Bart Forsyth. "When a lot of these landscape ordinances were passed, the goal was wanting to keep the community vibrant and look well-maintained. Over 100 patients with brain tumors attended the same high school. With upward of 70% of municipal and industrial water used for outdoor landscaping, Cox said it is past time for the state and cities to aggressively embrace water-saving strategies. ST. GEORGE, Utah Wilson and Kari Jimenez are thrilled with how their yard looks. Removing lawn from your park strip will save an estimated 5,000-8,000 gallons of water each yearand you can get cash for doing it. Should parents follow singer Pinks advice for kids and social media? The legislature allocated $5 million in incentives across the state. Spencer Cox said Thursday. Program funding is available statewide. The program will follow Central Utah Water Conservancy District, Jordan Valley Water Conservancy, and Weber Basin Water Conservancy District, which all offer similar programs in their territories. 350 North State, Suite 320 PO Box 145115 Salt Lake City, Utah 84114; Telephone: (801) 538-1408 https://senate.utah.gov; Contact a Senator Copyright 2023 Deseret News Publishing Company. If we can cut back on that, weve already had substantial savings. In addition to programs like "turf buyback," the Legislature is working with our state's farmers and ranchers to better conserve and utilize water for agriculture. So many Utahns are doing their part to save water, which is fantastic, but theres much more we can do.. Cox hails generational effort in Utahs water law history, What happened after a governor asked his state to pray for rain, Anatomy of a drought: How the West may change for decades to come, How bad is the Western drought? Utah Gov. Spencer Cox and Lt. This rule is in place to follow local city ordinances. In information provided at the press conference, officials pointed to water savings in Layton, where residents and businesses have used 94.9 million fewer gallons of water this year compared to last year. Receive up to $1.25 per square foot for replacing the lawn in your park strip with a water-efficient design. GET REBATES: Water conservation resources for Utah residents. The Washington County Water Conservancy District offers tips for how to convert to desert-friendly landscaping. "No, we dont," he chuckled. HB121 prohibited certain lawn or turf requirements and imposed conservation requirements for state agencies. I can tell you that other states are looking at Utah very jealously right now. Rebate checks will be made payable to the property owner. H.B. has said it has enough water to get through this year, but plans are being made for drastic measures in the years to come. TownLift is a web and mobile-based Entertainment & News media outlet providing Park City and Summit County Utah with Breaking Local News & Community Updates. As for now, there is no standardizaton of turf buyback in Utah, or anywhere else in the country. Clerk of the House. The HB 121 bill lists some preliminary eligibility requirements. This program would be for front yards, back yards or any other "non-functional" grass. Give Light and the People Will Find Their Own Way. We need to expand this over the next few years. The following cities have adopted qualifying water-efficient landscape ordinances for new residential developments. They tore out turf and replaced it with native plants and rocks. New study says worst in 1,200 years. Statewide turf buyback program Outdoor water use makes up about 60% of our municipal and industrial water use. The full statewide program will launch through utahwatersavers.com in spring 2023. The bills, which will be . However, the Utah Department of Natural Resources is taking sign ups now to. The full statewide program will launch through utahwatersavers.com in spring 2023. SB 110 Requires a water use and preservation element to be part of a municipal or county general plan. This year the event will be held from January 27-29 at the Utah Bear Lake State Park Marina and Sunrise Resort and Event Center in Garden City, Utah. Existing state facilities will need to cut outdoor water use 5% by 2023 and 25% by 2026, under H.B. 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