A new Hideout drinking water audit shows the town has little to worry about when it comes to its water supply, even when factoring in upcoming developments.  The study — conducted by Hansen, Allen and Luce (HAL) on behalf of Hideout — shows that the town is not facing a short-term water sup ply problem, and it won’t unless full-time resident occupancy reaches 90%.  Hideout’s current full-time occupancy rate is 38%. According to Mayor Ralph Severini, it would be “highly unusual” for Hideout to reach that 90% threshold because there have been no trends to indicate residents will either switch to full-time occupancy or that enough full-time residents will move in at such a high rate.  However, there has been increased growth in Hideout over recent years. From 2017 until 2020, there was a growth rate of about 50 new homes per year. That pace increased to 100 new homes per year from 2020 until 2024. That doubling won’t cause a problem for Hideout unless 90% full-time resident occupancy is reached within the next eight years, according to the audit. That is when the existing water supply (the total water the town currently owns) would be completely spoken for under such circumstances.  Audit recommendations still include having the town adopt a water conservation mindset. There is also a suggestion to have developers bring their own water rights to the table. But Severini said that is something already in the works.  “It always falls on builders for new homes that need to be built,” Severini said, adding that it is the same for developers. Key developments coming to Hideout include the Silver Meadows project in the Richardson Flats annexation area and the Wildhorse Project. Those projects will include the development of a grocery store, retail services, dining opportunities, a restaurant, an artisan cafe and a gourmet market. Some single-family lots are also included in development plans.  The Silver Meadows project is expected to break ground this year. Development will be divided into three phases over three years for the Wildhorse project with commercial development expected in 2027. All projects will bring in their own water rights.  Severini said it was important for the town to have a study that dissected exactly how much water was available for future use.  “No one was really certain exactly whether we have enough water going out into the future, and there was no data or good analytics that were going to describe to us whether we were going to run out of water or not,” Severini said. “The study answers all of those points.” According to the audit, Hideout’s water usage is less than neighboring cities and towns. But, that could be attributed in part to the lower full-time occupancy rate, according to Severini and the report.  Steve Jones, CEO of HAL, emphasized Hideout’s water conservation performance in a press release.  “We have conducted dozens of these studies across the state of Utah, and of all the communities we’ve looked at, Hideout is at the top of the list in terms of responsible water use of their water resources,” Jones said. “The town’s landscaping policies and the behavior of Hideout residents really put the community at the top.” Hideout’s water supply is well positioned for the short-term. But, after eight years, the town will reevaluate its water management and availability. Though the audit shows Hideout is doing well on water availability, Severini said he hopes residents will still use water responsibly.  “I would say every resident in this state needs to be careful, and so I do feel like we should be doing our part as a town,” Severini said.  He said, during his term, he and the Town Council will work to build out a Hideout Conservation Program that will keep a “watchful eye” on the accounting of the town’s water usage.  “As a town strategy, I would recommend being conservative but looking out into the future. And that would be true whether you live in Kamas, Park City or Salt Lake,” Severini said.  The entire audit can be found on the Hideout town website. The post Study finds no short-term water crisis for Hideout appeared first on Park Record. ...read more read less