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Pleasant Grove staff warn of low runoff, promote new landscape rebates and prepare for secondary-water restrictions
Summary
Staff reported unusually low mountain runoff and urged residents to apply for updated Central Utah Water Conservancy District rebates now; council asked staff to publicize current rebates and to study adopting code changes that could double incentives for qualifying new developments.
Pleasant Grove — City staff delivered a wide-ranging briefing on water this week, warning of unusually low snowpack and runoff and urging residents to take advantage of a revised Central Utah Water Conservancy District (CUWCD) landscape rebate program immediately.
Director Winterton and staff showed snowpack graphs and projections for the Provo River system, and described a scenario staff said could produce summer flows near 25 percent of normal. Winterton told the council that the city is preparing for possible secondary-water restrictions this irrigation season and will increase public education and enforcement activity if conditions warrant.
Daniel briefed the council on the CUWCD landscape-incentive program. Under current rules Pleasant Grove residents are eligible for: $1.50 per square foot for turf-to-drought-tolerant conversion (lawn replacement), $0.50 per square foot for retrofit drip-irrigation conversions, and $50 per tree planted (rebate). Daniel said the district revised program rules recently and that residents may apply immediately via the district website; staff agreed to post the correct application link and begin outreach the next business day.
Daniel added that if the city adopts specified water-efficiency landscape standards for new commercial, institutional, industrial and multifamily projects (a code text amendment across zones), rebate levels would double for qualifying projects — $3.00 per square foot for lawn replacement and $1.00 per square foot for switch-to-drip — while the $50 tree rebate would remain unchanged. Council directed staff to prepare a work-session briefing with mapped examples of local development to show how the standards would play out and to send the rebate link to residents now.
On utilities and rates, staff summarized that TSSD (treatment) pass-through costs have risen substantially and that the city plans administrative steps to trial meter-based secondary-water reporting this season. Staff said they will provide residents simulated bills showing what meter-based charges would have been, and plan formal rate proposals for later hearings.
