In his opinion, ending the drought will take several years of hearty precipitation, allowing the underground aquifer to recharge. Murray gets much of its water from deep wells, Astill said, and groundwater levels are still lower than in previous periods.

• Sandy: "We're going to keep our ordinance in place, no watering 10 a.m. to 6 p.m." said Kimberly Pickett of the city's public utilities department.

"We don't anticipate any type of water shortages or anything like that." The city will continue pushing its educational program, helping people to become more water-wise.

"It's not that you necessarily need to conserve the water, but you need to be more wise about how you use your water and don't waste it."

• Jordan Valley Water Conservancy District, West Jordan: General manager David G. Ovard said the district's perspective is long term. Studying growth trends in the state, he said, "there's just not enough water to meet the future needs of the Salt Lake Valley and the state of Utah without conservation."

The district serves most of Salt Lake Valley except Salt Lake City and Sandy.

Even though additional water sources are slated for development, the population is likely to grow faster than the resources. Utah's population should double by 2050, Ovard said, and Salt Lake County will make up about one-third of the increase.

Among projects the district is working on are cleaning up groundwater in the southwestern corner of the county, an effort in which Kennecott is involved; converting Utah Lake water; developing shallow wells, and, eventually the Bear River Project, which is supposed to start sending water south to the Salt Lake Valley in a few decades.

Bear River water, shipped via pipeline and other facilities, is expected to be needed between 2030 and 2035.

But without reducing per capita water use, according to Ovard, "there's just not enough water to meet the needs." The district started its Slow the Flow program in 1999 to reduce water use, and that evolved into the state's Slow the Flow project.

The goal is to reduce per capita water use throughout the district by 25 percent by the year 2025; the statewide goal is the same reduction by 2050, he said.

"It's absolutely essential that we continue to promote the efficient use of water," Ovard added. "We've determined that the average home in Salt Lake Valley uses 50 inches of water a year on their yard," Ovard said. That is about as much rainfall as soaks Seattle, New Orleans or Miami, he estimates.

• St. George: Dubbed America's fastest-growing city, and based in the most arid portion of Utah, St. George is especially concerned with water resources.