Park City Public Utilities Director Clint McAffee said the city’s investment in diverse and robust water sources including three wells, two mine tunnels and a springs, serve residents well in times of drought. Residents have also helped by conserving water.
“Our peak day demand was lower this year as a community,” McAffee said on KPCW’s “Local News Hour” Monday. “Last year, on Aug. 8, we served up 8.4 million gallons on our peak day. This year on June 24, it was 7.75 million gallons, and again that includes increased supply to the Snyderville Basin area. So, I think this community is doing a great job conserving.”
Water Quality Manager Michelle De Haan said the city’s aquafers are being replenished each year, and officials haven’t seen any changes in well water levels or higher mineral concentrations.
“We're certainly seeing a little bit less yield from the tunnels and the springs this year,” she said. “But those are usually longer-term sources that are impacted. You know, over a couple of years of different issues. From a water quality perspective, we don't see any difference relating to drought conditions.”
As fires burn in the Wasatch Back and across the state, McAffee said the city’s public drinking water system isn’t designed to fight wildland fires. However, Park City has enough storage to fight structure fires and is prepared for the worst.
Water demand in the summer is up to about 8 million gallons a day. McAffee says about 3 million of that is for indoor use while most of the rest is used for outside watering, including golf courses, playing fields and lawns.
According to McAffee, the two golf courses within the city limits are the biggest water users in the summer. The amount used he said depends on the weather and season and ranges from a few hundred thousand gallons per day to about a million gallons per day.
Indoor demand stays near 3 million gallons a day during the winter, while ski resorts including Deer Valley and Park City Mountain can use up to 6 million gallons a day for snowmaking.
“That demand is easier to control because it’s two customers, and if we get in a bind, they are great partners,” he said. “We can call them and say, ‘Hey, we've got an issue here. We need to cut back a little bit.’ Summertime, not so much. We've got 6,000 customers that, you know, you really can't reach.”
McAffee said Park City will also hire a consultant to study water rates and determine whether customer charges are fair, equitable, and consistent with city policies.
The city council has scheduled a work session on water rates Sept. 3.
