Erin Wells knows, when drought comes to the Intermountain West, emotions run high. As the assistant city administrator for Highland, UT, she is tasked with communicating the city’s recommendations for watering during this current drought. Not easy when there are multiple voices from different government agencies communicating different messages.
Named by Scottish pioneers who thought the area reminded them of their native Scotland, Highland is now a fast-growing city that was settled after its neighbor cities: American Fork, Lehi and Pleasant Grove. Consequently, the homesteaders of Highland could not secure rights to water flowing from American Fork Canyon and local springs as they were taken by earlier established communities. Cynthia Larsen Bennett tells the story in “Roadside History of Utah” of a Highland woman who, during a drought, jumped into the ditch, “…catching water in her skirt, she threw it onto the parched land.” [1] Eventually, residents of Highland secured water rights but only after lawsuits.
Adding to the emotions, already high due to the drought, the residents of Highland are confused because the state government is sending a different message than Highland City.
Governor Cox recommends residents water twice per week, and Highland City recommends half of the citizens water three days a week and the other half of its citizens water on alternate days; one group for Monday, Wednesday and Friday and the other on Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday. Highland City and its water managers believe that their schedule will allow all residents to have sufficient water pressure when it is their turn and by limiting the watering to three days per week there will be enough water for all residents.
That there are different recommendations from two different government agencies keeps Erin Wells more than already busy answering questions about the different recommendations.
