SALT LAKE CITY — The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints highlighted its ongoing water conservation measures and environmental stewardship efforts Wednesday, addressing the persistent drought affecting Utah’s Great Salt Lake.
In a formal statement Wednesday, church leadership noted it has donated and leased nearly 30,000 acre-feet of water to the Great Salt Lake. The transaction makes the organization one of the largest single water donors to the lake to date, helping protect existing water flows and critical surrounding wetland habitats.
Since 2015, the church has undertaken various water-saving initiatives across the region. These include installing more than 3,100 smart irrigation controllers on properties across the Intermountain West, with approximately 1,700 located within the Great Salt Lake Basin. These systems are estimated to save hundreds of millions of gallons of water annually.
Additionally, water-wise retrofits at church-operated properties—including temples, meetinghouses, and welfare farms—save roughly 1,600 acre-feet of water each year within the basin. Landscape updates at Temple Square alone are expected to save up to 20 million gallons annually once fully established.
Beyond water measures, the church highlighted broader sustainability efforts, such as producing on-site solar energy at over 1,000 facilities, recycling more than 80 million pounds of goods through Deseret Industries in 2025, and using sacrament cups made from 100% recycled plastic.
Acknowledging that an ultimate resolution to low water levels relies on increased precipitation, church leaders encouraged members to take personal steps to conserve water and support public conservation initiatives. Leaders also expressed gratitude for natural resources and called for continued interfaith prayer and fasting for drought relief.