Following a 2022 Utah Legislature mandate, the university has changed the way it landscapes the campus. Here’s how the University of Utah cut its annual water use on campus by 55M gallons – enough to fill more than 83 Olympic-sized swimming pools.

Sustainability experts say that drastic drop is proof large institutions can play a key role in water conservation across Utah. Water conservation “has been a really big priority on campus,” said Lissa Larson, the associate director of sustainability and energy at the U. Larson pointed to a bill passed in the 2022 Utah Legislature, HB121, which mandates water use protections on state government facilities — such as the U campus — to swap out irrigation for water-wise landscaping that then uses drip irrigation.

Read how the U. saves water in The Salt Lake Tribune