Water district urges voluntary ‘ultra’ water‑efficient homes to cut per‑household use

Doug Bennett, a representative of the regional water district, told the Ivins City Council on April 3 that the district is promoting voluntary "ultra water‑efficient" development standards designed to reduce average single‑family household supply from 0.59 to 0.39 acre‑feet.

Bennett said the program is voluntary and intended to work on both small urban lots and larger rural lots. Participating homes would use exclusively drip irrigation, discourage salt‑based water softeners, and be tied to homeowners associations that agree to enforce the program's landscaping and irrigation requirements.

"We wanted it to be a voluntary program," Bennett said, explaining the district's objective to design housing that uses roughly one‑third less water than the current standard. He added that developers who adopt the standards would be eligible for reduced regional water‑impact fees.

The presentation included financial and performance projections modeled using St. George rates as an example: post‑2023 homes would peak near 20,000 gallons per month in summer with an annual water bill of about $531, while the ultra‑efficient homes Bennett described would peak around 8,000–9,000 gallons per month and yield an annual bill near $400. Bennett noted the example billing used Saint George rates and actual Ivins rates would differ.

Bennett also said the district proposes an 8,000‑gallon monthly allowance for participating homes; usage above that threshold would trigger the district's post‑2023 surcharge (described in the presentation as $10 per 1,000 gallons in excess). He recommended agreements between HOAs and the district to spell out performance expectations and enforcement steps.

Council members questioned timing and collection of impact fees and raised concerns about family needs for nearby green space. One council member suggested pocket‑park or consolidated amenity designs so families would have safe, local recreation without private lawns for every home. Bennett said the design is adaptable and that some households in the region already live within the proposed water budgets.

The presentation reserved open questions for builders and cities—Bennett said an impact‑fee study is underway and that municipalities would need to decide whether to adopt local codes or policies to implement aspects of the program. He emphasized the program seeks to balance lower water demand with housing affordability and developer feasibility.

The council did not take formal action on the proposal at the meeting; Bennett offered to supply updated charts or follow‑up information on request.