Please join us for a “Talkabout” on Wednesday, February 21st, 7:00 P.M., at Rocky Vista University. This one focuses on Water. Yes, again. Water. We’ve got a lot to figure out! Like a reservoir… in Ivins? Like using wastewater… in our yards.
The book, Purified, published last year is all about using wastewater. One quote in the book was, “Throughout human history we have worked tirelessly to distance ourselves from wastewater.” Now we’re planning to bring it back to our homes. Another quote, “Never before has something so foul looked so good.”
Talkabout Panelists: Zach Renstrom, Washington County Water Conservancy District General Manager, Karry Rathje, their Communications and Government Affairs Manager, Doug Bennett, their new Conservation Manager, and Aaron Anderson from Bowen-Collins Engineering that is working on the reuse system.
There will also be a brief video presentation concerning Dry Wash Reservoir from Ivins resident Wayne Pennington. Wayne is a PhD geophysicist and a retired Dean of Engineering at Michigan Technological University.
We will get a better understanding of the District’s 20-year plan. It boils down to two fundamental strategies: the expansion of conservation efforts across the county, and the development of a regional water reuse system with a network of storage reservoirs, including one in Dry Wash in Ivins (between Hwy 91 and Kwavasa).
Most of the time will be reserved for questions from residents.
We’re doing well in Ivins on the first of those two fronts. Of course, we can always do better. But it’s the second of those two strategies that concerns some, if not many Ivins residents. This Talkabout will provide the opportunity to discuss the pros and cons of the Dry Wash Reservoir in detail.
Please see two recent articles about the reservoir: “Honey I Shrunk the Reservoir” and “Is the Reservoir Plan All Wet?”
A March Talkabout
The Talkabout in March is scheduled for Wednesday, March 20th, 7:00 P.M., at Rocky Vista University. We will have a team of water conservation specialists from Utah State University headed by Professor Kelly Kopp who is the Director of their Center for Water Efficient Landscaping coming to address us and answer questions.
I spent three days with her in Cedar City last month at a “Growing Water Smart in Southwest Utah” workshop. She knows her stuff, so it will be both an enjoyable evening and informative.