HB 121 (2022) imposed water conservation requirements for state facilities. Any state facility built or reconstructed after May 4, 2022, may not have more than 20% of the grounds be lawn or turf. Existing facilities were required to do the following:
- Baseline measurement: Collect and report outdoor water use data for fiscal year 2020.
- Short-term reduction: Achieve a reduction in outdoor water use of at least 5% by the end of fiscal year 2023.
- Long-term reduction: Achieve a reduction in outdoor water use of at least 25% by the end of fiscal year 2026.
In September 2022, the Utah Division of Facilities Construction and Management presented a summary of statewide water reduction efforts to the Utah State Legislature House Natural Resources, Agriculture, and Environment Committee.
Since that time, state facilities have focused on reducing water use by:
- Installing meters for accurate outdoor water use measurement
- Performing sprinkler system efficiency checks and fixing issues
- Replacing underused areas of grass with lower-water landscaping
- Installing smart irrigation controllers that use weather data to save water
Download a spreadsheet containing data submitted from state facilities to meet the requirements of HB 121, including 2020 baseline data, Fiscal years 2022, 2023, and 2026, along with overall water reduction percentages.
