Question by CJ Madsen, Provo, Utah
Katie Newburn, the education and outreach director at Friends of Great Salt Lake, said Utahns use twice as much water in their yards than they use in their homes.
“Outdoor water use represents this really large portion of our total water consumption in Northern Utah and a big opportunity to conserve water, allowing more to reach Great Salt Lake,” Newburn said.
Utah is also second in the nation for water use per person, more than twice the national average, according to a presentation to the Great Salt Lake Collaborative by Utah State University professor Sarah Null.
Newburn suggested these ideas to conserve water:
- Reduce outdoor watering. Fix broken sprinklers, limit how often the sprinklers run, and shorten the duration of sprinkler runs. Use this weekly lawn watering guide to know when to water.
- Replace grass with drought-tolerant native plants.
- Urge your neighbors, HOAs, and cities to conserve.
Newburn suggested donating to the Great Salt Lake Institute at Westminster College, to support academic research about the lake. Full disclosure, the Institute is a member of the Great Salt Lake Collaborative.
She also mentioned the membership program at Friends of Great Salt Lake.
“That’s a great way to support our efforts in the categories of education, research, advocacy, and the arts,” said Newburn. “Join our community of members who are all invested in our mission.”
Other advocacy groups working on the lake include Utah Rivers Council, Great Salt Lake Audubon and The Nature Conservancy. Have we missed any? Email us at
– Reported and written by McCaulee Blackburn
