Utah Governor Calls for Reduced Water Usage Amid Drought
(AP) — Utah Gov. Spencer Cox urged residents and businesses to cut down on their water usage on June 8 to combat the worst drought the state has experienced in decades.
Cox, a Republican, said he will issue an executive order directing state agencies in northern Utah to only water outdoors twice a week and state agencies in southern Utah to water three times a week. The state’s Division of Forestry, Fire and State Lands has also issued fireworks bans for all state lands and unincorporated private lands to reduce the risk of wildfires, he said.
The governor said the entire state is experiencing a drought, and about 90% of Utah is now in an extreme drought category.
“We’re slowing down on our press conferences about the pandemic, and we’re headed right into another disaster,” Cox told reporters on the steps of the Utah Capitol. ” It’s been that kind of year for the state of Utah.”
Cox said outdoor watering accounts for 60% of residential water use in Utah and called on residents to allow lawns to go brown. He noted that some local water districts are enforcing their own restrictions.
In Syracuse, Utah, residents aren’t allowed to water their lawns during the hours of 10 a.m. and 6 p.m, Fox 13 reported. Violators will get an initial warning. A second violation will lead to a $100 fine, a third will result in a $250 fine and a fourth violation will shut off the home’s secondary water for the year.
Cox also renewed his calls for residents of faith to pray for rain. He released a statement last week calling on Utah residents to pray for “divine intervention” to combat the drought.
The governor has issued two drought-related emergency orders in the last three months. He declared a state of emergency on March 17 due to the ongoing drought and issued another executive order on May 3 requiring water conservation practices at state facilities.
Related News
From Archive
- Fatal trench collapse halts sewer construction in Massachusetts; two workers hospitalized
- Alaska LNG pipeline could require 7,000 workers at peak construction, developers say
- Ohio trench collapse kills one worker, injures two during pipe installation
- Elon Musk's Boring Co. fined for dumping drilling waste into Vegas sewer system
- $1.4 billion Midwest pipeline expansion to move more Canadian oil to U.S. Gulf
- Glenfarne Alaska LNG targets late-2026 construction start for 807-mile pipeline project
- Fatal trench collapse halts sewer construction in Massachusetts; two workers hospitalized
- Massive water line failure leaves majority of Waterbury without service
- Infrastructure failure releases 100,000 gallons of wastewater in Houston; repairs ongoing
- Pennsylvania American Water launches interactive map to identify, replace lead water service lines
Comments