AMWUA Blog
5 Trees To Shade Your Desert
It's the time of year when many homeowners are tired of the glare from their windows and are thinking about adding more shade to their yards. The beautiful combination of cactus, succulents and desert-adapted flowering shrubs are unique to our communities, but trees give height and width to a landscape. In the desert summer, trees also help to cool a home's windows and walls and keep its air condi...
Jul 17 2017
On The Job: Phoenix Team Protects Miles Of Water LinesThe City of Phoenix has 6,922 miles of water lines and 4,865 miles of sewer lines buried about four feet under our feet. It wouldn’t be hard for a contractor digging a pool in someone’s backyard or a crew widening a street to hit and damage one of those lines. It’s Tammie Burkett’s job to make sure they don’t....
Jul 10 2017
Study: Conservation Reduces The Cost Of Your Water ServicesWater conservation has been a bedrock element of water management in Arizona for the last several decades. Water conservation is built into our communities where summer highs remain above 100 degrees and rain is a rare blessing. We conserve to stretch water supplies, assure a sound economic future for our grandkids, and keep our environment healthy. Yet, when water rates are increased, I am often...
Jul 03 2017
Inside Job: Water Efficiency A Fixture In City BuildingsCentral Arizona's desert cities offer rebates, outdoor water audits, videos, free publications and landscape classes to help customers use water more efficiently outdoors. Cities also lead by example, creating beautiful, well-kept and efficiently watered landscapes around their public buildings and in their parks....
Jun 19 2017
Desert Adapting: Five Common Summer Landscape MistakesSo you’re looking at your trees and plants baking in the desert summer sun and you’re beginning to feel just a little sorry for them. Save your sympathy. Desert-adapted plants are built for this weather and will do just fine. Adjustments do need to be made to their care during the summer, but many homeowners and businesses make adjustments that harm – not help – their trees, grass and plants. Cons...
Jun 19 2017
Desert Adapting: Five Common Summer Landscape MistakesSo you’re looking at your trees and plants baking in the desert summer sun and you’re beginning to feel just a little sorry for them. Save your sympathy. Desert-adapted plants are built for this weather and will do just fine. Adjustments do need to be made to their care during the summer, but many homeowners and businesses make adjustments that harm – not help – their trees, grass and plants. Cons...
Jun 12 2017
Get To Work: How To Qualify For A Job In WaterSkilled people who treat and distribute drinking water and collect and treat wastewater are retiring at a high rate. Jobs are opening up in Arizona’s small towns and big cities. It takes smart, ambitious and persistent job seekers to get started in these public health jobs. Utilities will hire people who trained just after high school and those who opt to change careers. Cities have hired veterans...
Jun 05 2017
2017 Legislative Session: Four Things That Went Right For WaterSo far 2017 has been a good year for water. The Southwest had a rainy winter, an official shortage of Colorado River water appears delayed another year, and there was broad support for water issues at the Arizona Legislature. The Arizona Department of Water Resources, ...
May 29 2017
The Whys Behind Changes in Your Water BillYou may have noticed from time to time changes to your city's water bill. A city makes adjustments to water and sewer rates to ensure the rates charged to homes and businesses cover the city's expenses. Such adjustments only happen after being approved by your city council. Here are a few of the rising expenses that impact the cost of a city's water and sewer services....
May 22 2017
Five Things You Need To Know Right Now About DroughtOngoing headlines about drought in the southwest are confusing and often seem contradictory. Two weeks ago, a panel of experts advised the Governor's Office that Arizona's drought is not over and will last, at least, another year. After a rainy winter, that's a surprise for many people who follow the state's drought status maps. These monthly drought maps show no portion of Arizona remaining in "e...