Water Wednesdays is a Tooele City series created to support and educate our residents. With this year being especially dry, every drop of water matters more than ever. Conservation isn't something any one person or department can accomplish alone - it requires all of us working together to protect this precious resource.

Each week, Water Wednesdays shares practical tips, seasonal guidance, and water-wise ideas to help residents make informed choices at home and in their yards. These are not requirements, but recommended best practices developed with the expertise of our Public Works Department. 

Our goal is simple: Empower our community with knowledge that makes water conservation easier, more effective, and part of everyday life in Tooele City.

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When to Start Watering in Spring

In Tooele, spring weather can change quickly-warm one week and snow the next. With those fluctuations, it can feel like lawns need water sooner than they actually do. 

But here's the key message this week: if you can wait, wait. 

Most established lawns don't need consistent water until temperatures are steadily warm (around 60 degrees Fahrenheit or higher) over time-not just during short warm spells. Early-season "stress" is often temporary and weather-related, not a true need for irrigation.

As a general guideline, many years Mother's Day is a good target for starting sprinklers, since mid-May is typically when rainfall becomes less frequent and temperatures rise. In lower water years, it's even more important to start irrigating decorate landscaping alter than normal-not earlier.

Before turning on your sprinkler system, consider:

• Waiting through warm/cool cycles to see if conditions stabilize
• Checking soil moisture instead of grass color alone
• Remembering precipitation and cool nights still add moisture

When you do begin watering, start conservatively: 

• Check your system: Make sure sprinklers are water plants—not rocks, sidewalks, or driveways
• Time your watering: Run sprinklers between 8:00 PM and 10:00 AM to reduce evaporation
• Use the screwdriver test: If a screwdriver slides easily into the soil, it's still moist—wait another day

Tooele City's voluntary watering schedule helps guide this seasonal transition and support conservation.

Water conservation resources: slowtheflow.org | conservewater.utah.gov | water.utah.gov

By waiting just a little longer in spring, we can make a big impact on water use throughout the entire summer. 

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