Water is an essential component in campaign discussions on growth and sustainability.
We invite the candidates to go on the record about local water issues. What is their vision for the most effective water supply and conservation efforts for our future, and how can it be implemented? Look for their statements posted at WaterWiseParkCity.com.
There are many perspectives on the issue of water, and we speak as concerned citizens to open the dialog- not with as much information or experience as others may have. Therefore, we invite the community to weigh in on this issue and contribute your most workable solutions.
Water conservation is the fundamental starting point when considering the significant impact and expense of building additional water supply infrastructure such as reservoirs or pipelines. Changing our water consumption habits has a far-reaching and cost-saving influence on the future infrastructure we will need to create.
Individual behavior is the key to sustainable water use. Mayor Dana Williams has stated that our community’s approach to initiating social change is through education rather than legislation.
To start, we each need to be aware of how much water we use, know how to read our water bills, and how it compares to local and state averages. A dry, desert state by nature, Utah is precariously dependent on snowpack in the right places at the right time. Utah is the 2nd driest state in the nation; yet we use the 2nd highest amount of water. 70% of Park City summer water usage goes towards irrigation. While we have temporarily transformed the arid environment of Park City into green lawns, this faux landscape is not sustainable into our future. Governor Herbert has challenged Utahns to cut their water use by 25%, taking pro-active measures that Summit County has not embraced yet.
Beyond the basics of personal education, the water discussion expands to issues of how water rates influence conservation behavior, investments in future water infrastructure projects, water-wise landscaping, protecting our local streams, and our community practices of other engineered and behavioral water conservation measures.
We have outstanding local water conservation organizations to continue these discussions. It is integral to the mission of The Park City Conservation Association (better known as Recycle Utah), ParkCityGreen.org, as well as the Environmental Sustainability and Water Conservation departments of Park City Muni Corp.
WaterWiseParkCity.com has been launched as a current compilation of water issues, both local water and statewide.
Water should be solidly on the table in the current election, and kept central in the priorities of all Summit County communities. Please join the discussion.