Alpine residents used 10.65% less water between April 15 and August 15 compared to the same period in 2025, according to a report from the city's Water Citizen Advisory Committee. The committee presented these findings at an August 27 meeting held at Alpine City Hall.
The reduction in water use included an 11.2% drop in pressurized irrigation and a 6.4% decrease in culinary water use. Committee member Steve Burrows presented the data during the meeting, which lasted just over an hour.
The committee has established several upcoming targets. They aim for at least 13% less outdoor irrigation usage by October 15 compared to 2025 levels. Other goals set for a November 1 deadline include having more than 50% of metered Alpine households using the EyeOnWater leak-detection app, reducing the number of accounts reporting 24-hour leaks to fewer than 500, and keeping total leak volume under 25 million gallons.
A major focus for the committee involves a proposed conservation-based irrigation fee schedule. The group is requesting that the Alpine City Council approve changes to the base rate and usage tiers 3 through 5, which would take effect January 1, 2027. Horrocks Engineering is currently preparing the proposed rate structures, and the committee expects council action on the matter between September and November.
Alpine City Council member Sarah Blackwell has been involved in multiple action items, including arranging meetings with city water staff and code compliance to improve leak-notice follow-up for agricultural accounts and residents.
The committee's long-term roadmap includes determining water-supply scenarios between December and February based on reservoir levels and snowfall. By April 15, 2027, the city intends to publish a water management plan containing enforcement policies and watering schedules.
A Water Education Open House is scheduled for September 16 and will feature BYU associate professor Dr. Ben Abbott, who will discuss how local water use impacts the Great Salt Lake.
