Lehi is one the fastest growing cities in the country. While the city has become the hub for tech companies, we have worked to maintain our roots of community and hometown feel. We have continued to work together to beautify Lehi. We are a city that pulls up our bootstraps for the betterment of our community.
In 2021, when the residents of Lehi were called to conserve water, they met that challenge by saving over 46 million gallons in a week. By adhering to the “Phase 3” water restriction of not watering yards more than twice a week, residents showed that they do what it takes to help their city. We have continued to make strides in conserving water. We encourage our city to use resources, such as smart controllers, mulch, and waterSense toliets. Here’s a summary of the water report from 2020 to our current year:
> 2020 — 5,750,626,069 gallons delivered
> 2021 — 4,481,793,179 gallons delivered
> 2022 — 4,073,142,898 gallons delivered (so far)
We are proud of the resident’s current effort of conservation, but we need to prepare as if the drought will continue for several years. While people may point to growth as a major factor to water shortages, growth alone is not the cause of depleted resources. Naturalist Sir David Attenborough stated, “We have a responsibility to leave for future generations a planet that is healthy and habitable by all species.” Utah is in its third straight year of drought and the state has stepped in to ensure that everyone starts becoming accountable. Early this year, the Utah legislature passed a bill requiring the installation of meters on all secondary water connections. Even though our residents have responded remarkably well in conserving water, this state mandate is intended to encourage everyone to be responsible in conservation efforts. These meters will give everyone the ability to see their irrigation usage and make smarter choices.
Lehi City is responding to the mandate and began its 5-6 year effort this October. The city received a $10 million grant through the Utah Board of Water Resources to install 5,700 meters of the over-12,000 connections needed. Lehi has applied for a loan to cover the rest of the cost but will also utilize any available grant programs to lower the loan amount.
The current focus area is the Traverse Mountain community, with an anticipated completion of September 2023.
Visit the Lehi City Secondary Water Metering project page for more information.
Mayor Mark Johnson
