Herriman City is a fast-growing city in southwestern Salt Lake County that is projected to double in size by 2040. The city receives 65% of its water from Jordan Valley Water Conservancy District (JVWCD). Beginning in 2019, Jordan Valley Water Conservancy District developed Water Efficiency Standards in order to help their member agencies use water more efficiently in new development. JVWCD requires member agencies to adopt the standards when updating their water contracts. The standards include specific criteria for landscapes in new commercial and residential developments that use significantly less water than traditional landscapes.  Setting water efficiency standards for landscapes is an effective tool to ensure efficient outdoor water use in new developments or redevelopments. 

As part of the city’s contract renegotiation with JVWCD, Herriman became the first of JVWCD’s member agencies to adopt its new Water Efficiency Standards in December 2020. The standards limit turfgrass to a certain percentage of the landscape, and require drip irrigation and 3-4 inches of mulch in planting beds. All new development must follow the standards in order to be approved. To ensure overall consistency within its municipal code, Herriman changed part of its land use code in order to adopt the standards. They also implemented a plan review and inspection process and hired a full-time conservation staff member to ensure compliance. New landscapes are inspected by the city after installation to verify that the water efficiency standards have been followed. 

To ensure landscapes for new residential and commercial developments meet the intent and requirements of the Water Efficiency Standards, Herriman’s  landscape review and inspection process requires builders and developers to submit a detailed landscape plan for review. The plan must include a table that identifies lot size, impervious area, and landscape areas listing the total sod area, which cannot exceed 35% for residential lots and 20% in commercial developments. Once the landscapes are installed, an inspection verifies that the approved plan has been followed.

Developers have generally reacted positively to the standards. Herriman City initially wanted to keep their 75% living plant cover requirement, but reduced that standard to meet the Jordan Valley Water Efficiency Standards requirement of 50% living plant cover to eliminate confusion, address developer cost concerns, and further reduce water consumption. However, some issues have arisen during the implementation of the Water Efficiency Standards. Developers are finding that it is costlier to install water efficient landscapes than more traditional landscapes. There have also been concerns raised by developers that have partially built-out neighborhoods that the new standards create landscape inconsistency. The homes built before the standards were implemented have a more traditional landscaping style while the homes built after the standards were adopted must have water efficient landscaping.

Herriman City was the first of Jordan Valley Conservancy District’s member agencies to adopt the Water Efficiency Standards and has since been approached by other member agencies for advice on adopting the standards, as well as by cities in other parts of Utah that are  developing their own standards. In 2022, Herriman City approved a handful of residential and commercial projects that follow the standards. They will have more data available on the program’s progress in 2023. Beyond implementing the efficiency standards, Herriman City is considering how to implement requirements of S.B .110, which was passed by the state legislature in 2022. The bill requires that water use and preservation elements be integrated into a city’s General Plan. Herriman City has taken an important first step on the path to a more water efficient future, and is working to do even more to achieve it.