Salt Lake Water, Soil, and Irrigation Guide

You can find plenty of watering advice online. The useful advice starts with your own property: who supplies the water, how the soil absorbs it, and how much each sprinkler zone delivers. This guide helps you work through those three questions.

Provider links and notices checked October 1, 2026. Rules and delivery dates can change. Confirm the current notice with your provider.

Find your water district

The Salt Lake County water-provider and restriction map lets you search by address. Compare the result with the provider on your bill, and contact that provider with account or service questions. The county map is a lookup tool, not your water supplier.

• Salt Lake City: local sprinkler and water information
• Holladay: local sprinkler and water information
• Millcreek: local sprinkler and water information
• Murray: local sprinkler and water information
• South Salt Lake: local sprinkler and water information
• Kearns: local sprinkler and water information
• Magna: local sprinkler and water information
• Taylorsville: local sprinkler and water information
• West Valley City: local sprinkler and water information

Official district and irrigation maps

• Salt Lake City Public Utilities service-area map
• Salt Lake County irrigation and canal map from SLC Public Utilities
• Kearns Improvement District boundary map
• Magna Water District service map
• Utah water-system dashboard — enable the Secondary Water Systems layer; read the state’s lookup instructions.

A canal nearby doesn’t necessarily mean your yard has access to that water. Ask the supplier to confirm the property’s connection and water rights before planning around it.

Secondary-water dates, meters, and allotments

Get this year’s dates from the supplier for your property. Startup, shutdown, interruptions, and allotments can differ, so another city’s schedule may not help. If you have a meter, ask which limits or charges apply to your account rather than assuming the meter tells the whole story.

When you call, have your address handy and ask: Does this property have a confirmed connection? When will delivery start and stop? Where can I see my usage? What limits or charges apply? What do I need to do at my own system when delivery ends?

Soil changes the watering plan

• Clay-rich or compacted soil: watch for water running off before it soaks in. Shorter cycles with a pause between them may help.
• Sandy or coarse soil: check moisture where the roots are. Water can move through quickly, so both the amount and frequency need attention.
• Loamy soil: check it in the yard, too. Foot traffic, slopes, shade, and added soil can change how it behaves.

Use the NRCS Web Soil Survey for background on mapped soils, then compare it with your own ground. For more about preparing soil and how water moves through it, see USU’s landscape and soil guidance. Even neighboring yards can have different soil conditions.

Five checks before changing the timer

1. Read your provider’s current notice and the Utah weekly watering guide.
2. Check recent rain and soil moisture.
3. Run a short cycle and walk the yard. Look for leaks, overspray, and runoff.
4. When practical, measure how much water reaches the lawn. Set each zone for its plants and sprinkler type.
5. Recheck after a weather change or repair.

Need help with the system?

See sprinkler inspections and spring startup. Call (385) 226-5764. Tell us which part isn’t working for you. We’ll help you plan a system check and talk through the options.