By Myrna Trauntvein
Times-News Correspondent
Nephi has updated the city's water conservation plan.
State statute requires that municipal water systems prepare, adopt and periodically update a written water conservation plan.
An update of Nepthi City's current plan was prepared by Kyle Marchant, Public Works Director, and Justin Blackett, Water and Sewer Department Superintendent, and was adopted Tuesday by the city council by ordinance.
"The city must review the plan every five years," said Randy McKnight, city administrator. "I would like to review with you a couple of the highlights of the plan."
In response to the continual growth that the state of Utah has seen statewide, citizens and leaders of Nephi City have become increasingly concerned about the future cost and/or availability of a finite supply of water.
The adopted plan constitutes the needed planning for water conservation for Nephi City. It is intended to address the concerns of both the city and the State of Utah while in compliance with the State of Utah Water Conservation Plan Act.
"Nephi City had a 2004 Census population of 4,904," said McKnight. "The 2014 census population estimate is 5,508. This equates to an average growth rate of 1.30 percent per year for the last 10 years."
Nephi City leaders, both political and staff, have always regarded the water needs of citizens as a top priority. As a result, a well-maintained and efficiently operated water system provides citizens with water where and when it is needed.
The water system has some current needs but overall it is in good shape and as new development returns to Nephi City, the system will be able to meet the increased needs through planning and efficient utilization of water supplies.
"There are 1,960 residential connections," he said. "There are an additional 191 commercial customers and two industrial connections for a total of 2,153."
"The system also supplies water to the golf course and various parks and cemeteries for outdoor watering purposes," said McKnight.
It should be noted that a pressurized irrigation system is available to approximately 700 connections in the city. This system is owned and operated by the Nephi Irrigation Company and is not affiliated with Nephi City. However, Nephi City does have an agreement in place with the Irrigation Company to trade water from their respective sources so as to give the city more potable spring culinary water while the irrigation company uses the city well water for irrigation.
"We are in the process of doing a study with the irrigation company," said McKnight.
That study is to determine whether or not additional irrigation water may be supplied to homes in the city to be used for outside watering needs.
"Nephi City currently owns 17,021.97 acre-feet of municipal water rights," said McKnight.
The city has four sources of supply to its culinary water system. These sources are two springs and two wells. The two springs have an average combined flow of approximately 2,050 gpm (gallons per minute). The two wells are equipped to pump a combined 4,800 gpm. However, currently, one of these wells is used for pumping water to the irrigation company as part of the water exchange.
Currently, the city uses automated meter reading (AMR) technology for its water meters. Meters are read on a monthly basis and faulty meters are replaced as needed.
The Governor's Office of Planning and Budget estimates an Average Annual Rate of Change (Growth Rate) of 1.60 percent annually. Using a more conservative rate of 2.75 percent, the population of Nephi is projected to be: 2015, 5,659; 2025, 7,423; 2035, 9,737; 2045, 12,771; 2055,16,751.
According to culinary water right calculations, Nephi City currently requires 4,016 acre-feet of culinary water. According to the projected growth, it is estimated that the city will need approximately 6,458 acre-feet of water in 2035, and approximately 10,693 acre-feet of water in 2055.
"If the actual growth rate varies from the projection then the water rights requirement will increase or decrease," said McKnight. "The need for water rights should be evaluated on a regular basis to account for changes in growth rate."
The gpcd (gallons per capita per day) usage is based on a population of 5,508 and is calculated by dividing this number into the total usage and again dividing by 365 days.
The State average water usage is 260 gpcd. When considering residential indoor use, residential outdoor use, all park, cemetery and golf course outdoor use, the current usage for Nephi City is 266 gpcd.
"This is 102 percent of the state average," said McKnight.
Because there is a significant amount of water in Nephi City that is used for industrial and commercial use that largely benefits a population outside of Nephi City, the commercial and industrial water usage has been separated out of the comparison of Nephi City water usage vs. the state average.
Problems identified are: that currently Nephi City is using 266 gallons of water per capita per day for its residential and park watering.
"The commercial and industrial water usage pushes the overall number to 400 gallons of water per capita per day," said McKnight. "Water conservation by all classification of users will certainly help reduce the overall per capita usage."
Although education efforts have been made through periodic mailing of conservation information and a tiered rate structure, the general public may lack an understanding of landscaping water requirements and efficient water use habits and practices.
"Efficiency of water use practices on city-owned property could also be improved," said McKnight.
In light of the problems identified, the following conservation goal is set. Nephi City will make efforts to reduce its residential and park per capita water usage by 10 percent over the next 20 years and 25 percent over the next 40 years. This goal will be measured on a 5 year basis.
A 25 percent reduction in per capita water usage would reduce the projected acre feet of water needed in 2050 from 10,693 acre-feet down to 8,020 acre-feet.
