Don’t let your water faucet run and run and run.

New development in the Ogden Valley tapping into Weber Basin Water Conservancy District water will face more rigorous water-use restrictions as the entity wrestles with balancing growth, demand and finite supplies. The upshot will be less water for landscaping and irrigation for certain development, meant to help deal with dwindling supplies at Pineview Reservoir and other water-retention bodies.

“This is just another tool in the toolbox to facilitate efficient use of our water resources,” said Jon Parry, an assistant general manager at the water supplier. “We just want to make sure the water resources we have are used as optimally as possible.”

The Weber Basin board of trustees approved the change at its Aug. 25 meeting and the rule is in effect, applicable not only in the Ogden Valley, where growth has been steady, but all along the Wasatch Back areas where Weber Basin offers services. It applies specifically to development going forward that accesses water from Weber Basin via water replacement contracts, generally in areas lacking community water systems. Wholesalers supplied with Weber Basin water will have to adopt similar restrictions applicable to their customers here on out, though not retroactively.

Typically, Parry said, those tapping water via replacement contracts would be able to access around 1 to 1.5 acre feet of water per year, both for indoor and outdoor use. Per the change, that maximum will dip to 0.65 acre feet of water per year for new clients — 0.45 acre feet for indoor use and 0.2 acre feet for outdoor irrigation.

Those living in areas without access to water systems are common users of replacement contracts, digging wells near their homes for water and negotiating deals with Weber Basin for release of water from its supplies to make up for the water they use. The aim of such arrangements is to maintain a balance in water held back in reservoirs for human use and water released for use downstream of Pineview Reservoir and other water-holding bodies.

The change had been in the works, Parry said, and shouldn’t be a surprise to those in the water industry. Water levels at Pineview and other holding bodies have been dipping dramatically as a drought gripping much of Utah lingers on.

Still, while 0.45 acre feet is plenty for a household, the 0.2-acre feet limit for outdoor use could require changes in landscaping watering. Water meters will be used to monitor water use.

Among the irrigation suggestions so users don’t exceed the 0.2-acre feet threshold are limiting areas with turf grass, among other things. “They’re strong recommendations at this point,” Parry said.

Weber Basin currently has around 3,900 water replacement contracts with users, most of them for individual households. Typically, the entity approves around 10 new water replacement contracts a month, so the numbers impacted aren’t necessarily huge.

Whatever the case, the change marks another step forward in moves to put a check on water use.

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