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 What Makes Tucson a Unique Conservation Leader - and Why it Matters
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Tucsonans care about water, and it shows. In the past 20 years, our customers have reduced the amount of water they use by 30% on average, per person. Thanks to your conservation efforts and the growth of the utility’s reclaimed water system, today we use the same amount of drinking water we did in the 1980s -- despite serving 200,000 more people.
Why does conservation matter? We depend on the Colorado River as our primary water supply. In recent years, Tucson Water customers have used only about two-thirds of our annual share of river water. If we used the same amount per person as we did 20 years ago, we'd be using our entire yearly Colorado River allocation. Using less has allowed our community to store several years' supply in our aquifers for the future. It also means we can take cuts to river supplies and sustainably thrive as a city. This year, Tucson voluntarily left about 20% of its share of water in Lake Mead to protect the health of the Colorado River. Your actions to conserve water matter--every drop you save makes our community more resilient and better prepared for the future.
Our values and habits around water are part of what makes Tucson unique.
We hear from customers who have removed turf and replaced it with desert-adapted plants, many who have committed to shorter showers and turning the tap off when brushing teeth, others who have installed flow monitoring devices so that they don’t waste water (and can catch leaks early), and some who re-program their irrigation controller to adjust for seasonal changes. We’ve incorporated these "best of" ideas
into our Responsible Desert Dweller Guide.
If you’ve been considering a new toilet or clothes washer for your home, or installing a rainwater system for your yard, now is the time. It’s also the time to adjust your irrigation controller for cooler temperatures and check your irrigation system for leaks. Simple actions and choices add up to big savings.
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Click to connect to the new online Responsible Desert Dweller Guide to learn about our unique water legacy and culture, plus tips to save water.
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Tips to Chill Your Water Bill
Winter is coming and it’s a great time to help you reduce overall water use, which saves on your water and sewer bill. Pima County Regional Wastewater Reclamation Department calculates your monthly sewer charges by taking the average of your monthly water use for December, January, and February so it’s especially important to be mindful of water use during these three months. Go to tucsonaz.gov/water/sewer-rates-averaging for more info.
In the desert Southwest, cooler temperatures mean your landscape needs less water. Maintain the same watering run time for plants and trees, just water them less often. Use the graphic above as a starting point, and access more watering resources at tucsonaz.gov/water/landscape, including:
Local Landscape Watering Guidelines – A brief guide based on University of Arizona research that recommends watering schedules through the seasons. It helps you determine soil type and provides a monthly watering schedule for grass, trees, and shrubs
Water by the Weather Weekly Watering Guide – Helps you create a custom irrigation schedule for your landscape.
You may also contact the Public Information & Conservation Office at pico@tucsonaz.gov or 520-791-4331.
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“Where is my meter located?”
Your water meter is usually located in the ground, at the front curb or in the alley. It measures the amount of water used in your household.
“How do I read my meter?”
Reading your meter is a great way to monitor water usage and detect leaks. Whether you have a digital or analog water meter, go to tucsonaz.gov/water/how-to-read-your-meter-and-detect-leaks for more info.
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City of Tucson
Environmental Services
Know Where to Throw: Thanksgiving
Here are the items you can recycle from Thanksgiving: all aluminum, tin, and steel cans including pie tins, turkey trays, broth cartons, plus cranberry and soup cans. Lids and labels can remain on, but all blue bin recycle items must be empty, clean, and dry. Pro tip on items you can’t recycle: used plastic utensils and paper plates. Enjoy and recycle!
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Pima County
Wastewater Reclamation
Never Flush Medications!
Do This Instead
Disposing of medications by flushing them down the toilet can pollute the water supply and harm public health. Visit www.disposeamed.pima.gov to learn about local collection sites and ways to get rid of old prescriptions or over-the-counter drugs safely.
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 Water Matters is a monthly newsletter brought to you by Tucson Water
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