For years, Utahns have received information from the news media and others regarding the water situation in Utah in terms of drought, limited supply, and the need to conserve water. Measurable progress has been made in water conservation, but incremental gains are no longer sufficient. The question facing Utah’s business and civic leaders is not whether conservation matters, but whether we are prepared to make the level of change required to sustain long-term economic and environmental resilience. 

The current water situation is historic. This past winter was Utah’s warmest on record. It also brought the lowest peak snowpack on record, peaking three weeks earlier than normal. Utah’s largest reservoir, Lake Powell, is at its lowest level since initial filling in the early 1960s. In addition, the Great Salt Lake (GSL) continues to face decline driven by drought conditions that are further exacerbated by a trend of increasing temperatures.

To understand where meaningful change must occur, it’s critical to focus on how water is used. Statewide, approximately 60 percent of Utah’s municipal water is used outdoors. Most outdoor water is being applied to grass lawns. Unlike most indoor water use, which is treated and returned to the system, new research shows the 91 percent of outdoor water is depleted or fully consumed. Water depleted outdoors is lost through evaporation and plant uptake. That distinction is important because water that is depleted cannot be returned to the natural system to fill lakes and reservoirs or to benefit important ecosystems like the Great Salt Lake.  

This is where the greatest opportunity lies. Reducing outdoor water consumption through efficient landscape design offers the most immediate and scalable way for individuals to conserve and reduce their water footprint. For businesses, developers, and communities, this is less about restrictions and more about aligning landscapes with Utah’s climate while maintaining functionality. 

The opportunity is real and significant. A 2024 study showed that residential lawn watering alone depleted approximately 408,000 acre-feet of water in the GSL watershed in a single year, nearly three times the capacity of Deer Creek Reservoir. Cutting that depletion in half is an achievable goal, and the benefits that would accrue to Utahns in terms of water supply needs and GSL recovery would be tremendous.

Organizations like Utah Water Ways (UWW) are working to accelerate this transition. Through the Slow the Flow, Save H2O campaign, UWW is shifting the conversation from awareness to action, providing practical tools, incentives, and real-world examples to help homeowners, businesses, and municipalities make water-wise decisions easier to implement. 

This year’s campaign is: “Water Runs Utah.” The purpose of this campaign is to remind Utahns of the importance of water in their daily lives and in maintaining a high quality of life. Water runs recreation, it runs food, it runs the economy, and it runs our future. But, what happens if water runs out? Even without drought conditions, parts of the state have water deficiencies. The GSL watershed and the Colorado River Basin are indicators of broader supply challenges that will shape business decisions and long term planning.

Tools are already in place. Incentive programs offset the cost of turf conversion and smart controllers. Planning tools like the Utah Plant Finder can help simplify water-wise design. Demonstration projects across the state show how landscapes “designed for Utah” can be implemented. The barrier is no longer information; it’s adoption at scale.

For Utah’s business community, water is not just a resource issue, it is a competitiveness issue. Proactive investment in water-efficient practices, whether in development standards, corporate campuses, or community partnership, will position organizations to mitigate risk, align with emerging policy, and contribute to a more resilient statewide economy.

‍Bart Forsyth is a policy advisor for Utah Water Ways. To learn more about these programs and initiatives, visit slowtheflow.org or email info@utahwaterways.org.