With Eastern Idaho facing drought conditions this summer, the city of Idaho Falls has launched a broad water conservation initiative — and is asking residents to do their part alongside city operations already underway to reduce consumption.
City officials estimate that their combined efforts this year will save roughly 30 million gallons of water, a figure they say demonstrates what coordinated action can accomplish when both the municipality and its residents work in the same direction.
City Making Operational Changes to Lead by Example
Idaho Falls is putting its own operations in order before asking residents to conserve. Public works crews are conducting regular inspections at city properties to identify and repair leaks and broken sprinkler heads — small problems that can waste substantial water over a season if left unaddressed.
Two of Idaho Falls’ most visible water features have also been shut down for the season. The Broadway Plaza fountain and the Tautphaus Park fountain — popular warm-weather attractions for families and visitors — have both been turned off as part of the conservation effort. The city is also evaluating which green spaces can be converted from traditional turf to waterwise landscaping, a longer-term move that could reduce irrigation demands in the years ahead.
Mayor Lisa Burtenshaw framed the effort as a shared civic responsibility. “Water is one of our community’s most valuable resources, and conserving it is something we can all contribute to,” she said in a statement accompanying the campaign.
Residents Encouraged to Adopt Water-Saving Habits
Beyond its own operations, the city is actively encouraging Idaho Falls households and businesses to adopt conservation practices this summer. Officials are distributing tips and guidance through the city’s website and social media channels, offering residents practical steps they can take to reduce outdoor and indoor water use during the driest months of the year.
The city is also inviting residents to share their own water-saving strategies on social media — a community-engagement component designed to spread awareness and normalize conservation habits throughout the area.
Water Superintendent David Richards emphasized that individual actions, while small on their own, carry real weight when multiplied across tens of thousands of households. “When those actions are taken across the community, the impact can be significant,” he said.
Common recommendations for residential water conservation typically include watering lawns and gardens during early morning or evening hours to minimize evaporation, checking for and fixing household leaks promptly, reducing irrigation frequency where lawns and landscaping can tolerate it, and replacing thirsty turf sections with drought-tolerant native plants.
Drought Conditions Add Urgency to Summer Planning
The push comes as drought conditions have tightened water supplies across Eastern Idaho heading into the peak demand season. Summer months put significantly higher pressure on municipal water systems, as lawn irrigation, outdoor recreation, and agricultural needs all compete for available supply.
Idaho Falls draws its water from the Snake River and underground aquifers — resources that can come under stress during extended dry periods. Proactive conservation during high-demand months can help the city manage its water system more efficiently while reducing the risk of shortfalls later in the season.
The city’s infrastructure team has also been active on other fronts. A planned maintenance closure is upcoming for the Yellowstone Avenue underpass, where drain work will briefly interrupt traffic in the coming days — a reminder that below-ground utility systems require regular upkeep even when conditions above ground look routine.
What Comes Next
City officials plan to continue distributing conservation information through the summer months via the Idaho Falls website and official social media accounts. Residents looking for guidance on waterwise landscaping or outdoor irrigation practices are encouraged to check those channels for updated tips and resources. The turf-conversion assessments already underway could lay the groundwork for more permanent infrastructure changes in city-managed green spaces in future seasons, though specific plans have not yet been announced.
For Idaho Falls homeowners, the message from city hall is straightforward: small, consistent adjustments in daily water use — repeated by enough neighbors — can add up to millions of gallons saved before summer ends.