The Heber City Council voted Tuesday, June 16, to implement new, voluntary outdoor water restrictions as summer heats up in the Wasatch Back.
City engineer Russ Funk said he recommends gentler rules because of updated forecasts.
“If people continue to make efforts to conserve under that voluntary plan, level two, at least until we get any more information, we think that there's a good chance of making it through the season,” he said.
The council agreed, voting to adopt Phase 2 of Heber City’s four-phase water shortage plan.
This tier of the plan includes encouraging residents to voluntarily cut back on watering lawns and washing cars. Use of swimming pools and outdoor fountains can continue unrestricted.
Locals are asked to water their lawns a maximum of three days per week between 6 p.m. and 10 a.m. The goal is to reduce Heber’s overall outdoor water use by 5%.
Councilmember Aaron Cheatwood said the city should pair the restrictions with more outreach about saving water and more visible efforts by local government to conserve.
“I love the idea of staying in Phase 2 with voluntary,” he said. “The catch, of course, is how do we make it seem serious enough to stay there, right? How do we demonstrate that we’re doing things?”
Councilmember Mike Johnston would have preferred more conservative measures.
“We have to take the lead and do it ourselves,” he said. “I mean, I kind of like Phase 3, just because it puts the emphasis on it. I’m not sure how we’re going to ever enforce that, but at least if you’re driving by the county or the school or the church, you can say, ‘Hey, guys, mandatory, can you do your sprinklers – make sure they’re shut off by 10 a.m.?’”
In addition to the voluntary measures, city leaders recommended mailing out information about the city’s outdoor water usage and tips for saving water.
Public works staff say they work hard to restrict watering to cooler hours. If sprinklers are on in the middle of the afternoon, they encourage residents to reach out because it may be due to a problem with the equipment.
Mayor Heidi Franco asked if the looser restrictions now could mean harsher measures later this summer.
Not necessarily, according to the Central Utah Water Conservancy District’s Chris York.
“Based on our experience, we’ve actually seen better results with more voluntary and educational outreach,” he said. “Sometimes, when we’ve mandated things, usage has actually gone up, because people think, ‘Oh boy, I’ve got to get my water.’ I mean, it’s [like] the COVID toilet paper and bottled water all over again.”
He says he’s optimistic residents will step up to do their part.
Heber City is a financial supporter of KPCW.
