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Show Water Conservation Two basic strategies of water conservation considered are more efficient operation of storage and delivery facilities by the water provider to increase the water supply, and more efficient use by customers to reduce water demand. Historically, Utah has had a very comprehensive water conservation program to improve the efficiency of operation and storage facilities to increase available water supplies. Since 1947, the Utah Board of Water Resources has received appropriations totaling more than $ 144 million. From a revolving loan system, the board has provided project sponsors more than $ 287 million in financial assistance through fiscal year 1994- 95. This money has helped construct 1,016 water efficiency improvement projects valued at more than $ 522 million, resulting in more efficient use of over 850,000 acre- feet of water annually. Utah's Growth Rate and Demand for Water As Utah's precious, developed water resources become more utilized and development of new sources of water becomes more difficult, the need increases to better use the state's available water by reducing demand through conservation. Among reasons future municipal and industrial water demand is expected to increase are: • Utah's real estate market is one of the busiest in the nation. • Utah's birth rate remains high. The state continues to rank first in the percent of population 17 years of age and younger. In contrast, Utah ranks 50th in the nation in percent of population over age 64. The state also has the largest household size in the nation at 3.15. • In- migration has made an already fast- growing population grow even faster. Utah has been the 5th fastest growing state in the 1990s. The projected population of 3.11 million in the year 2020 in Utah is almost 1.2 million more inhabitants than in 1994. This population prediction represents a 63 percent increase from 1990. This increase implies that approximately 350,000 persons will migrate to Utah. Between 1990 and 2020 the school age population is projected to increase by over 227,000, a growth of almost 50 percent. The increase in population means more water will be needed. Along the Wasatch Front, additional water will come from: • the completed Central Utah Project, • newly developed projects such as those proposed on the lower Bear River, • increased transfer of water from agriculture to municipal use, • conservation measures such as water- wise landscaping, • or a combination of all four. Water Use in Utah Municipal and industrial water use is typically divided into two categories. • Indoor use is considered non- consumptive ( even though a small percentage is consumed), with water used mainly for general sanitary purposes. After use, water is discharged into sewers where it is collected and treated. Reducing indoor water use does not add to the water supply, but it allows the existing M & I water supply to serve more people. 9 |