AMWUA Blog
Quaggas Muscle Their Way Into Your City’s Water Delivery System
A mussel about the size of a dime is breeding by the millions in reservoirs fed by the Colorado River. These invasive creatures, which can grow a little larger than a quarter, threaten the delivery of water to the Greater Phoenix Metropolitan area. They also can cost you and your cities a lot more than small change....
Dec 08 2014
First Water, Then DevelopmentIn 1978, swindler Ned Warren was convicted of 20 counts of fraud for selling land in Arizona without access to water. Two years later, the drafters of the 1980 Arizona Groundwater Management Act decided to put an end to that practice by requiring that an "assured water supply" must be demonstrated in advance of selling subdivision lots. Ironically, Ned Warren died in prison that same year....
Dec 01 2014
Desalination: Is It A Practical Solution For Arizona’s Future WaterEngineers can take salt out of ocean water and create water for drinking and irrigating crops. Desalting water on an industrial level is a great technological achievement. The process, however, remains expensive and messy. The world, pushed by need, has moved ahead with desalination projects while researchers work to create more efficient and Earth-friendly technology....
Nov 24 2014
The Phoenix Zoo Shows You How To Save Water And MoneyIn the last 22 months, the Phoenix Zoo reduced its water use by 20 percent. That saved the zoo $80,000 on its water bill over the past two years and conserved 19,500 million gallons of drinking water for all of us. The Phoenix Zoo saved the water and money the same way any business improves, by changing its culture....
Nov 17 2014
Smartscape: You Could Have A Better LandscaperYou pay a landscaping company to save you the time and energy it takes to maintain a lovely green space. Twenty years ago, Arizona recognized that landscapers could do more. They could help their customers save money and help cities save water....
Nov 10 2014
Tempe Town Lake: How (And Why) Did They Do That?Tempe Town Lake is a manmade lake set in a dry riverbed in the middle of the desert. The 261 acre urban lake is a surprise to newcomers and still a marvel to those who were here when it was first filled in 1999....
Nov 03 2014
HOAs Lower Water Bills, Maintain Landscapes And Create HarmonyThe Town of Gilbert helps homeowners associations take the guesswork out of irrigation costs. The town's voluntary program keeps landscapes looking lovely, saves money and water, and maintains harmony among homeowners and property managers. The goal is to stop HOAs from overwatering their landscapes by making their irrigation systems work more efficiently....
Oct 27 2014
A Little Bit Of Knowledge Can Grow A Beautiful ThingThe wrong tree in a desert yard can get ugly fast. Then, too, if the right tree is not correctly planted, nurtured or maintained it can die, grow in tortured directions, or fall over in a hard wind. Starting over can be expensive, but who wants a yard without trees?...
Oct 20 2014
Sheared Shrubs Lose Beauty And HealthDesert shrubs do not thrive when homeowners and landscapers shear them into geometric shapes, such as balls, squares or inverted pyramids. Regular shearing weakens these shrubs, detracts from their beauty, discourages them from flowering, and shortens their lives. Desert shrubs just don't conform to formal garden expectations. It's painful to see these rugged plants neatly shaped in Valley parking...
Oct 13 2014
Heroic Water Buffalo Heads For The Golf CourseThere are many well-known names in Arizona's water history. U.S. Senator Carl Hayden and Congressman John Rhodes delivered the votes in Washington that brought Colorado River water to the state. Governor Bruce Babbitt and state Senator Stan Turley wrestled the Arizona Groundwater Management Act into law and stopped decades of relentless over pumping of this non-renewable resource....