For the second time in a row, Utah's just-completed water year was above average.

According to federal experts, precipitation for the 2006 water year, which ended last week, was 103 percent of the 30-year average. That's shy of the 125 percent mark reached in 2005 but preferable to the preceding six consecutive years of drought.

Whatever you do, don't take a leisurely shower to celebrate. A positive water year does not suggest that Utah has water to waste. Water conservation must remain a high priority. This is a desert, after all.

In fairness, many Utahns have taken that ethic to heart. Some do it as a matter of personal responsibility. Others do it because they are served by water districts that have tiered water pricing structures. Curbing water use results in a lower water bill.

As Utah's population increases, there will be further incentives to conserve water to extend the reach of existing resources and postpone the need to develop new — and expensive — sources of water. Long gone are the days of federally funded water projects. Development of future water projects in Utah will be shouldered by state and local taxpayers.

If and when those projects come to fruition, Utah must do more to conserve water. The state needs more aggressive conservation goals. The state needs to do more to encourage homeowners to replace old fixtures with water-saving faucets, toilets and shower heads. Likewise for water-saving appliances such as front-loading washing machines and some dishwashers.

The bulk of Utah's water is used for lawns and landscaping. Even with automated sprinkling systems, a good deal of outdoor water is wasted, whether that means lawns are overwatered or excess water simply flows down gutters.

An above-average water year means less treated water was needed to keep lawns, trees or other greenery healthy, which is good news for the overall supply and one's own water bill. Utahns would do well to remember that the water year is a statewide average with some areas flush, such as Weber River drainage, which was 115 percent of normal, and others still dry, such as the 84 percent in southeastern Utah. That's an improvement from the bone-dry drought years but a concern, nonetheless.

The recent drought instructs us that the water supply must not be taken for granted. Every drop matters, even in times of plenty.