The City of Moab, in collaboration with the city’s Water Conservation and Drought Management Advisory Board and the Grand County League of Women Voters, will host a free public Water Conservation Workshop on Monday, March 12, at 5:15 p.m. in the Moab City Council Chambers, 217 E. Center St. The workshop will focus on providing ideas and information that can help citizens and business owners lower commercial and residential water use.
Experts will be available to discuss tree and plant selection, irrigation techniques, Moab Area Watershed Partnership projects, water rates, green infrastructure, water right adjudication, local initiatives such as the Bee-Inspired Gardens Group and the Community Water Challenge Contest, and updates on construction of the new Moab City Water Reclamation Facility.
“We have identified key areas of opportunity for greater water efficiency,” Moab City Sustainability Director Rosemarie Russo said. “We believe these areas encompass a promising collection of activities that will benefit our community and support a more sustainable future.”
As part of Moab’s strong commitment to ensure the efficient and responsible use of the area’s natural resources, the City of Moab has also launched a new initiative that will include business water audits.
Through the Green to Gold Business Sustainability Program, local businesses and nonprofit organizations can request a free water audit to determine strategies to lower their water use. Businesses interested in participating in the Green to Gold Program can register online at sustainablemoab.com, email Russo or use the ballot box at City Hall.
The city is also working to cultivate commercial water efficiency projects through tailored outreach and custom incentives, and to encourage greater integration of water efficiency into land use planning and building codes. That effort includes expanding incentives and increasing water efficiency requirements for newly developed and redeveloped properties, Russo said.
The city and the Water Conservation and Drought Management Advisory Board are also focusing on educating the community about the area’s water sources, where the water comes from and how it is used, as well as providing a better understanding about water rights and methods to protect those rights. Information regarding current open positions on the board will be available at the workshop.
Efforts are also underway to promote greater outdoor water efficiency by encouraging drought-tolerant landscape choices and proper outdoor watering methods.
“Outdoor watering accounts for nearly 60 percent of total use during peak summer months,” Russo said.
For more information about the city’s conservation and sustainability efforts, contact Rosemarie Russo at: rrusso@moabcity.org. For information about the Water Conservation and Drought Management Advisory Board, contact Eve Tallman at: etallman@moabcity.org.
