Salt Lake City moves water restrictions up a notch
May 27, 2021, 4:35 PM | Updated: 4:36 pm
Salt Lake City’s Department of Public Utilities has gone to Stage Two of its five-level water shortage contingency response. Department Director Laura Briefer says that will mean mandatory water restrictions for some customers.
“Those mandatory restrictions are focused on government facilities, and it’s still voluntary action by the rest of our water users and residents,” Briefer told KSL Newsradio.
The problem for the city this summer will be reduced stream flow in Big and Little Cottonwood creeks and other streams that provide much of Salt Lake City’s water, Briefer said.
“Streamflow is down and the projected yields of those systems range from from 34% to 52% of average yield.”
Briefer says Salt Lake City has water reserves stored in Deer Creek and other reservoirs.
“That holdover in storage could get us through multiple years of drought,” she said, “so we want to make sure we keep that insurance policy.”
With the Stage Two water restrictions in place and cooperation from private property owners and residents, Briefer believes a move to Stage Three would not be necessary.