Even as Murray’s water supply remains stable heading into the summer, city officials say that outlook depends heavily on one key factor: how wisely residents use it. In a region where demand can surge quickly with the heat, conservation isn’t just encouraged — it plays a critical role in keeping the system reliable.

According to Water Superintendent Aron Frisk of Murray City Public Works, the city’s water system is in a strong position, supported by a groundwater-based supply that differs from many other municipalities across the state.

“Murray’s water supply is stable heading into this year,” Frisk said. “The city relies entirely on groundwater, supplied by a system of 19 wells and eight springs. That gives Murray a consistent and reliable source that isn’t directly impacted by annual swings in snowpack or reservoir levels like many other systems in Utah.”

That independence from surface water sources such as reservoirs or snowpack runoff has helped insulate the city from some of the volatility seen elsewhere. Still, officials are closely monitoring system performance, particularly as seasonal demand begins to climb.

Frisk said the city uses a Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition (SCADA) system to track conditions in real time, including aquifer levels, well production and overall system demand.

“Based on those trends, our aquifers remain healthy and continue to perform as expected,” he said, noting that demand increases significantly during the summer months and requires active management to remain within operational limits.

While statewide indicators such as snowpack are still considered, Frisk emphasized that local data drives day-to-day decision-making.

“We focus primarily on groundwater conditions and system demand,” he said. “Those are monitored in real time…which allows us to track trends and respond quickly if conditions change.”

Despite ongoing drought concerns in the broader region, Murray has not needed to impose mandatory water restrictions in recent years. Instead, the city has relied on voluntary conservation measures, which Frisk said have proven effective.

“We’ve seen that when residents and businesses are informed and mindful, they respond,” he said. “During recent drought messaging, annual water use dropped from about 3.1 billion gallons in 2020 to 2.5 billion gallons by 2022 and 2023. That’s a significant reduction, and the community deserves credit for it.”

Mandatory restrictions would only be considered under more severe conditions, such as sustained peak demand approaching system capacity or operational disruptions like well outages.

“Ultimately, it comes down to system reliability and source redundancy,” Frisk said. “If we see impacts to our ability to consistently meet demand, stronger measures would be considered.”

For now, residents should expect continuity in water use policies. The city will continue enforcing its existing restriction on outdoor watering between 10 a.m. and 6 p.m., aimed at reducing evaporation and inefficiency during the hottest part of the day.

“At this time, there are no major changes anticipated to watering guidelines or enforcement for this season,” Frisk said.

The city is also moving forward with previously approved rate adjustments adopted in 2025, part of a long-term strategy to maintain infrastructure and promote responsible use. In addition, Murray is preparing to roll out new technology to improve communication with customers.

Frisk said the city has partnered with the Central Utah Water Conservancy District and Yoppify to utilize advanced metering infrastructure (AMI) data.

“This will allow for targeted notifications, including potential leak alerts and conservation messaging,” he said. “The system is expected to be implemented later this summer.”

As Murray continues to grow, city officials say long-term planning remains central to maintaining water sustainability. Development projects are required to fund necessary infrastructure through impact fees and must meet strict design standards.

“Development is not allowed to outpace the system,” Frisk said.

The city updates its water system master plan roughly every five years and has designed its infrastructure to maintain about a 20% capacity reserve at projected buildout in 2065.

For residents, Frisk said the most meaningful conservation efforts remain simple and largely focused on outdoor water use, which accounts for the bulk of summer demand.

“Simple changes make a big difference,” he said. “Watering during cooler hours, making sure irrigation systems are working properly, and avoiding overwatering.”

He added that inefficiencies such as broken sprinkler heads or excessive watering times can lead to significant water loss, but small adjustments across the community can have a measurable impact.

“The goal isn’t to eliminate water use,” Frisk said. “It’s to use it effectively.”