This year, Arizona lawmakers have introduced over 90 water bills, far surpassing the number seen in previous legislative sessions. Unfortunately, the vast majority of these bills would chip away at...
It goes without saying that water is a vital resource. Here in Arizona, it’s essential to understand water's critical role, especially in our arid climate, as we must realize that our...
Last June, the Arizona Department of Water Resources released the updated Phoenix Active Management Area (AMA) Groundwater Model. Its projections showed a groundwater deficit over the next 100...
Whether from reading the news, paying your water bill, or doing some research before buying a home, you have probably heard the term “water service areas.” Even if you have not, service...
On February 14th, Arizona celebrates its 112th birthday, which is the perfect opportunity to appreciate where we live and embrace our state's diversity in landscape and weather, as well as how...
The AMWUA Blog recently hit a significant milestone – our 500th edition. Since 2014, we have aimed to take the mystery out of complex water issues by providing valuable facts, numbers, or...
Headlines continue to draw attention to Arizona's groundwater issues, from putting on hold new subdivisions in Maricopa County that rely solely on groundwater to declining groundwater levels in...
Since the release of the Phoenix Active Management Area (AMA) Groundwater Model, attention to its findings has grown to include claims that we do not have enough water, which will stop or seriously...
Despite the impression given by some stories in the national media, the ten AMWUA cities have diverse water portfolios and can meet the demands of their residents and businesses not just for today...
The recently released Phoenix AMA Groundwater Model has generated much attention and conversation. While it's an important step forward to continue our long history of securing and...
With so much focus on the Colorado River, it is critical that we continue to protect and find ways to improve the management of our groundwater supply. Arizona has a proud history of taking...
The international organization Alliance for Water Efficiency (AWE) has ranked Arizona third in the nation and second in the Colorado River Basin for advancing water efficiency and conservation...
Many headlines claim that Arizona is running out of water. While some specific areas within our state are facing challenges, such as wells running dry or aquifers not being able to sustain new...
As the new legislative session begins, Governor Hobbs has made water a priority. In her State of the State address, she boldly shined a spotlight on Arizona's water challenges and encouraged...
As we confront a future with less Colorado River water, we are reminded about the importance of another critical water supply – groundwater. Both Colorado River water and groundwater have a...
For decades, the ten AMWUA cities have methodically and proactively invested in their water supplies. Now, as the situation on the Colorado River continues to worsen quicker than expected, the...
In Arizona, it’s essential to understand water and realize that our daily choices affect our collective future, especially in our desert climate. That is why being more water aware will...
With the 2022 legislative session now underway, state legislators will be considering various proposals to address water challenges. The importance of water has been elevated with the uncertainty...
2021 was a big year in water, and all the interest garnered these past 12 months will undoubtedly spill over into the new year as a Tier 1 Shortage begins and the impact of drought and climate...
This month the AMWUA Blog hits another milestone – our 400th edition. Since March 2014, we have aimed to take the mystery out of complex issues about water management, water policy, and water...
The cost of watering large landscapes can significantly impact budgets for homeowners’ associations, multifamily communities, churches, schools, and businesses. That is why the Town of...
We live in the desert, so extreme heat, limited precipitation, and stressed water supplies can be expected. That is why the cities plan decades in advance, enabling us to weather times of prolonged...
The marathon, six-month 2021 legislative session officially concluded after over 1,700 pieces of legislation were introduced. As always, water was a prominent topic, with more than 60 individual...
Raging wildfires, an unrelenting record-breaking heatwave, and a drying Colorado River have generated significant concern about our water and our future in the Phoenix metropolitan...
As another anniversary of the 1980 Groundwater Management Act (GMA) passes, the importance of protecting our groundwater remains the same. We recognize that the GMA was a monumental piece of...
With the significant amount of conversation about drought and shortage in Arizona, many people wonder why we do not have any water restrictions imposed in our arid State. While many things...
We can live in the desert because we understand the significance of water conservation and efficiency as a necessity and not a temporary reaction. Arizona has always been an arid State, and...
We use water every day, which is why it’s essential to realize that those daily choices affect our future. As we recognize Water Awareness Month, we are reminded that we must be conscious of...
Arizona's water management successes over the last 40 years are due to the willingness of its stakeholders to face challenges, make difficult discussions, and develop strategies and policies to...
Collaboration among the AMWUA cities results in efficiency and strong water management for the common purpose of safeguarding water supplies in the Valley. The AMWUA cities are ultimately...
Arizona celebrated its 109th birthday on Valentine's Day, which created the perfect opportunity to appreciate where we live, and embrace our State's diversity in landscape and weather....
The first notable winter storms brought much-needed moisture across the State, providing a short-term boost to our vegetation and adding some water to local reservoirs. While precipitation in our...
To ensure we have water not only today, but for the long-term, our diligence and work never ends, and 2021 will certainly be no exception. While we know the Colorado River will receive much...
As we look forward to a new year, we all hope it will bring more certainty than what we encountered in 2020. Despite a pandemic and the challenges we faced this past year, the AMWUA municipalities...
In 1980, after decades of severe groundwater declines, State leaders took decisive action when they implemented a regulatory framework to decrease our dependence on groundwater in Arizona's...
All across the West, we are all feeling the effects of the record-breaking heat and lack of precipitation. In addition to the obvious consequences, what do the high temperatures and lack of...
We all understand the importance of water in Arizona, but the hydrology, legalities, and water management can be overwhelmingly complicated. So how do we get educated on all the issues and...
Through this two-part series on safe-yield, we will look back at the past, acknowledge how far we have come, and discuss the challenges we still collectively face as we move forward. The...
As the celebrations of the 40th anniversary of the 1980 Groundwater Management Act (GMA) wind down, our collective focus now must shift to the future. We know that the GMA was a monumental piece of...
Life as we know it would be impossible without groundwater. It is the world's most extracted natural resource, and it supports our ecosystems, which is why we can never take groundwater for...
Our State Capitol is once again abuzz with Legislators working hard to pass hundreds of bills with the intent to improve our lives and address issues affecting us. Interest groups of all...
This year we celebrate the 40th Anniversary of the Groundwater Management Act. Through this three-part series on groundwater, we will look back at the past, acknowledge how far we have come,...
This year we celebrate the 40th Anniversary of the Groundwater Management Act. Through this three-part series on groundwater, we will look back at the past, acknowledge how far we have come,...
The AMWUA Blog is hitting a milestone – our 300th edition. So we thought this would be a good time to highlight the array of subject matter that has been addressed over the years. And...
AMWUA and the rest of Arizona’s water community tout the importance of the 1980 Groundwater Management Act, a set of laws that protect groundwater supplies particularly in the most populated...
On January 31, 2019 Arizona Governor Doug Ducey signed Senate Bill 1227, a broad package of water legislation that paved the way for implementation of the Drought Contingency Plan (DCP). The bill...
For months we have heard about the looming shortage of Colorado River water and how Arizona must take action to reduce the risk of deeper shortfalls by approving the Lower Basin Drought Contingency...
The 1980 Arizona Groundwater Management Act required water providers to reduce the amount of water used per capita. The dilemma was cities did not have water conservation staff at that time. ...
When the mayors of the Cities of Phoenix, Scottsdale, Mesa, Tempe and Glendale formed the Arizona Municipal Water Users Association in 1969, AMWUA’s staff consisted solely of the...
John R. (Bob) McCain used his quick wit and creative mind to influence Arizona water policy for more than a quarter of a century. Bob had the deep, home grown sensibilities of many...
AMWUA cities routinely build partnerships to make sure they can deliver safe, reliable and affordable water to their residents all day every day. The cities share the cost of building and expanding...
Cape Town, home to 4 million people, may become the first major city in the world to run out of water as soon as May 11th. Although half way around the globe, Arizona can still learn from the...
The desert cities in Central Arizona have withstood 22 years of ongoing drought without imposing emergency conservation measures, such as those California ordered in 2015. Much of the credit goes...
Flood irrigation can be a surprising sight in a desert Valley. Water comes pouring out of ditches, covering large parks, ball fields or yards in what looks like deep storm runoff. While the rest of...
AMWUA cities offer more than 70 free landscape classes throughout the year to help you grow a more beautiful yard with less water. Local experts introduce you to a wide variety of desert plants and...
A couple dozen Arizona craft breweries will bring their beers to Phoenix in September to vie for a professional judge’s choice award and a people's choice award. Here's why this...
The 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...
It is not easy for cities to build, staff and operate water and wastewater treatment plants and still maintain water and wastewater rates all residents can afford. That’s why Central Arizona...
Your city's water department does a great job using science and engineering, muscle and skill to get drinking water into your home 24 hours a day, seven days a week. The water professionals at...
When someone asks Sal Correa what he does for a living, he answers this way: “You know the water you drink? I make sure it gets to your house.” That’s a pretty good description....
Since 1998, the City of Scottsdale has been treating about half of its wastewater to near drinking water standards. It's an expensive process that uses reverse osmosis technology, but the city...
Luiza Yordanova appreciates the Valley's winter weather as much as we all do but winter makes her job as supervisor of a City of Tempe drinking water treatment plant a bit more complicated. She...
This month, former Senator Jon Kyl told a gathering of elected officials and water professionals that Arizona's past water successes had one thing in common: the willingness of competing forces...
In 2009, I was a new member of the Board overseeing the Central Arizona Project (CAP) and energy, not water, was the primary focus. I was surprised with my sudden immersion into the ins and outs of...
Arizona's largest wastewater treatment plant already cleans and re-uses nearly all of the waste it receives from 2.5 million people in five AMWUA cities. Now, the cities that own the treatment...
Many people are wondering what this rainy, snowy winter means for Arizona after more than two decades of drought. Here are five things we know right now. 1. It's raining and snowing in the...
Grease sent down drains in restaurant kitchens has plagued city sewer systems since they were built. The Tempe Grease Cooperative takes an artful step toward better controlling the ugly problem....
Like you, AMWUA and its member cities already are working toward 2017 goals. At the same time, we're reviewing what went right in 2016. A look back provides a boost of confidence for us and we...
There wasn't much David Iwanski didn't know about Arizona water when he joined AMWUA's Board of Directors in 2014. Avondale Councilmember Iwanski trained as an attorney, spent four...
In the last two years, the Town of Gilbert has more than doubled the number of Homeowners Associations enrolled in a free program that takes the guesswork out of landscape irrigation. The program...
When I meet people and they find out I work in water, they always ask me this question: When are we going to run out of water? Arizona legislators - particularly those who were just elected - have...
Water is life and nowhere is that more apparent than in the desert. Fountains and pools of water were built into ancient cities, including desert cities, for both practical and aesthetic reasons....
The Salt and Verde rivers are two of the hardest working rivers in the United States.Traveling through Arizona's northern high country and onto the desert plains, the Salt and Verde provide...
Pima County's Southwest Water Campus is the winner of the New Arizona Prize: Water Innovation Challenge and it has a big job ahead of it. These creative water professionals intend to increase...
Mark Xerxis is a chemist, but don't imagine him behind a set of tubes, Bunsen burners and microscopes. Mark runs the metals lab within Scottsdale's Water Quality Laboratory, which means...
Cities in the Phoenix Metropolitan area are experimenting with building methods to slow storm runoff and allow more of it to be absorbed into the ground instead of rushing into streets and down...
Running a public water utility isn't like any other business. This is because water is essential to everyone, at every economic level. Also, a city water utility isn't out to make a profit....
Various races are competing for your attention on the ballot this election season. You know the high profile races for President of the United States, the U.S. Congress and the State Legislature....
Imagine watching your water consumption online in real time as easily as you access your checking account or medical records. By Spring 2017 about 5,000 City of Tempe homes and businesses will have...
When media reports mix together the words "water" and "toxic" it's no surprise the public would have concerns. Throw in a reference to an award winning film with Julia...
Here's a dare: Spend a day without water. The truth is you can't. Even if you are willing to give up showering, brushing, flushing, washing your hands, doing laundry, using your dishwasher,...
The U.S. Bureau of Reclamation recently confirmed Arizona would not face a declared shortage of Colorado River water in 2017. This is good news but Arizona's cities, farmers and industry...
It's no surprise that demand for water in the Phoenix Metro area reaches its peak during the summer months. What may be surprising is that demand nearly doubles from the winter months to the...
Jim Lane's resume is packed with past and present memberships on important governing boards, such as the League of Arizona Cities and Towns and Maricopa Association of Governments. After...
For many years, the State of Arizona has been storing water underground to prepare for times of drought. One way Arizona has accomplished this is through the efforts of a little-known state agency...
In the early 1990s, Arizona was not using all the water it was legally due from the Colorado River. Instead, much of Arizona's unused water flowed down the Colorado River to California....
The goal of safe-yield has motivated Arizona's cities to maximize their use of renewable water supplies - such as river water or recycled wastewater - and to minimize pumping groundwater....
A likely shortage of Colorado River water in Arizona is big news. It should be. Colorado River water makes up 44 percent of the state's water supply delivered through 336-miles of canals and...
Independence Day. However you celebrate - whether by the pool or watching fireworks with your favorite drink in hand - it is an excellent opportunity to contemplate what we often take for granted,...
The important role of water professionals as first responders was a lesson relearned after 9/11 and, again, after Hurricanes Katrina in 2005 and Sandy in 2012. These events prompted many water...
Recently, Phoenix announced a water-bottling plant was opening in a vacant warehouse on the city's west side. The plant reportedly will bottle about 35 million gallons of Phoenix tap water a...
AMWUA works to provide reliable and useful water information and now we have help from a new website called Arizona Water Facts. The website offers a realistic guide to where the state's water...
Many Southwest cities help their utility customers pay for long-term water-saving changes they make to their homes and yards. These changes can include buying a more water-efficient toilet or...
Lake Mead has dropped to a historic low with a Colorado River shortage declaration looming as soon as the next couple of years. Arizona's water managers have planned and prepared for a Colorado...
By 1928 Arizona's farmers, miners, loggers and ranch hands were migrating into the urban areas of the state. The state's largest cities also began attracting tourists and new residents....
The City of Scottsdale wants to create more water wonks. Scottsdale Water is giving 20 residents an opportunity to explore the science, engineering and labor it takes to keep water running day and...
Sound long-term water management is vital to ensure that Arizona has a strong economy both in urban and rural parts of the State. This is why the Arizona Municipal Water Users Association (AMWUA)...
Baseball players and fans want to see spring training fields covered in bright green grass ready to play ball. That means a host city must dedicate water to keep the grass green and irrigate the...
Homeowners Associations (HOA) face a difficult balance trying to keep their common areas looking attractive while also keeping water bills under control. The City of Phoenix is the latest AMWUA...
February in the Valley of the Sun means spring weather, golf tournaments, rodeos and our State's birthday on Valentine's Day. February also means the State Capitol is abuzz with Legislators...
A week ago Sunday, the day after moving to Phoenix, I woke up in my new place to find no water. I was reminded of how easy it is to take water for granted and to underappreciate the thousands of...
Carol Ward-Morris, AMWUA's Assistant Director, has been elected to the Board of Directors of the Alliance for Water Efficiency (AWE). The Alliance is a non-profit organization dedicated to...
A great man passed away on January 6, 2016 just shy of his 94th birthday. His name was Wes Steiner. If you weren’t around in the 60’s, 70’s or 80’s, you might not have heard...
"Lead" is a verb. It means to guide, to show the way. Protecting Arizona's water future will require our elected officials to lead us forward the way past generations took charge when...
There are many Big Government programs you've never heard of that simply work. They don't generate headlines, political debate or viral videos. They often have names that put people to...
When it comes to water supplies in this extended drought, there seem to be two Arizonas. Most Arizona cities are reassuring their residents and businesses that water supplies are secure. In other...
Businesses that use an exceptionally high volume of water and want to set up shop in the City of Chandler will have to prove they bring significant benefits to the city, or pay more for their...
If you want to find out how to save water and keep a little grass in the back yard, how about asking a city with more than 400 acres of Bermuda to care for? The City of Scottsdale maintains 42...
Facing unprecedented water shortages, California Gov. Jerry Brown has imposed mandatory urban water use reductions of 25 percent. The Governor's order followed years of low snowpack and runoff...
AMWUA member cities are focused on keeping water flowing in and out of your homes and businesses day in and day out. At AMWUA, we're all about solutions. Always have been. It's our job....
Do you remember the old low-flow shower heads? Some of them were awful, weren't they? Those old shower heads began to give water-efficient fixtures an image problem that was hard to shake....
The desert is not a place where water is taken for granted. In desert cities, water must be managed. Each of the AMWUA member cities has a water management plan and part of that plan is storing...
Imagine this: A website where you could watch your home's water usage in real time. It could become a frugal homeowner's obsession. It could settle family arguments about who spends more...
A phrase "toilet to tap" has appeared in a recent spate of stories about cleaning and recycling wastewater. While the catchy phrase is irresistible to headline writers, it is not popular...
There is almost always a decision to be made in a hotel bathroom. You can save water and hang up your towel for a second day's use or throw it on the floor, signaling the housekeeper to provide...
Cities in the Greater Phoenix Metropolitan Area are willing to give you money and free experts to make water-saving changes in your home or business. But each city creates a different package of...
"In the depths of the Great Recession, the hardest hit state agency was the Department of Water Resources. A wealth of institutional knowledge, vital to maintaining Arizona's relative...
In 1986, the Town of Gilbert began storing treated wastewater in a pond at Cooper and Elliot roads. It did not surprise town officials that the pond attracted birds, but they were surprised by how...
A different sort of national environmental organization has set its sights on Arizona. Change the Course wants to help maintain enough water in Arizona rivers to keep plants, birds and fish...
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...
In 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...
Engineers 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,...
In 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...
You 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...
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...
There 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...
Last week, California finally took baby steps to manage its decades old problem of landowners drilling wells to pump groundwater whenever and wherever they pleased. The new laws could take up to...
Solving the mystery of Lost and Unaccounted for Water can save a city money and conserve water on a grand scale. Lost and Unaccounted for Water, also known as non-revenue water, is the...
It took until June 12, 1980 for Arizona to decide it was not ok for farmers, cities, developers, and businesses to pump as much groundwater as they wanted,whenever and wherever they needed it. By...
It was a golden era in state politics. Bruce Babbitt was Governor, Stan Turley was President of the Senate, Burton Barr herded the House Republicans, and Alfredo Gutierrez led the Senate Democrats....