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Utahns who have long said they would do more to conserve water if only they knew how now have a chance to prove it.

The Utah Division of Water Resources kicked off its new conservation initiative, H2Oath, Tuesday morning at a ceremonial signing during which several Utah institutions, including the University of Utah and Utah's four largest water districts, pledged to take action to reduce their water use.

H2Oath aims to convert Utahns' desire to do more about water conservation, and their more recent penchant for online activism, into real water savings, said Mike Styler, director of the Utah Department of Natural Resources.

"This actually takes a commitment," he said. "People in Utah want to know what they should do to save water, and this is something that will make a difference."

Those who sign the H2Oath agree to:

• Reduce their average shower time by at least one minute.

• Wait to run the dishwasher or washing machine until there is a full load.

• Identify and fix leaks in indoor plumbing and outdoor watering systems.

• Let their grass grow longer to shade roots and reduce the lawn's need for water.

• Redirect sprinklers to avoid wasting water on sidewalks and driveways.

• Avoid watering during hot midday temperatures and during or after rainstorms.

• Adhere to the Weekly Lawn Watering Guide found on SlowTheFlow.org.

If everyone in Utah were to agree to adhere to the Weekly Lawn Watering Guide, that step alone would save 20 billion gallons of water per year, said Joshua Palmer, public information officer for the Utah Division of Water Resources.

Indoors, leaks are accountable for 14 percent of water use, and doing the laundry is responsible for about 20 percent.

Shaving one minute off your shower time saves 1,875 gallons per year, according to Palmer.

The typical indoor water use for one person averages out to 63 gallons per day. Comparatively, running one sprinkler cycle uses an average of 3,000 gallons, Palmer said, so the water saved by forgoing just one lawn-hydrating session is enough to provide for a family of four for almost two weeks.

But saving water to support Utah's growing population — which is expected to double in coming decades — isn't the only goal, conservationists said on Tuesday before signing the pledge for themselves. Wildlife also requires adequate water, they said.

"As we speak, the Great Salt Lake is hosting millions of migratory birds that came to the lake for nesting and feeding—and that requires water," said Joan Degiorgio, Northern Mountain Regional Director for The Nature Conservancy.

Utah's current conservation goal calls for the state to cut its water use by 25 percent by 2025. The numbers aren't in yet, Palmer said, but the Utah Division of Water Resources has reason to believe the state is close to, or has already, met that goal.

If it has, Palmer said, the H2Oath will help Utah start its next water conservation goal ahead of the curve. If not, then the pledge should help Utah finally meet its goal.

In either case, he said, water conservation will be an important part of the state's water resource planning so long as the state's population continues to grow and its climate remains arid.

"We're just trying to have Utah evolve and make water conservation one of Utah's core ethics," he said. "We live in a desert, and conservation is essential in a desert."

Utahns can sign this summer's H2Oath online at water.utah.gov/H2Oath.

epenrod@sltrib.com

Twitter: @EmaPen