Understanding The Water Supply in Tucson Arizona
Water in Tucson Arizona for Today and The Future
Tucson’s water supply is abundant! Tucson Arizona has plenty of water right now and for the foreseeable future. There is absolutely no water shortage in Tucson AZ!
However, a question about the City of Tucson water supply and availability is a frequently heard. Especially from our Midwest and Northwest clients. They are usually interested in the quality of the water supply as well.
Tucson sits on the top of a large aquifer. Experts believe there is enough water there to last many, many years. Additionally, Tucson water comes from the Colorado River. This water is received via the Central Arizona Project. Tucson Water is pumped from the aquifer by a large number of wells throughout the Tucson Metropolitan Area.
While Tucson has plenty of water, there are numerous water conservation policies in Tucson. You’ll find “Recharge Basins” all over the place. These are typically depressions in the ground (natural or manmade) where water collects after the rains. The captured water slowly seeps back into the aquifer.
Reclaimed water projects are also in place for high volume user. Golf courses are a good example where reclaimed water is use. So, wipe the golf ball on the towel not your tongue.
Tucson water supply is plentiful and there are no water restrictions to deal with!
NPR Program – September 22, 2022
NPR discussed water issues with Tucson’s water director, John Kmiec.
He said, “We have a shortage on the Colorado River but it’s not going to affect the Tucson basin. We’ve banked more than five and a half years of excess Colorado River water in aquifers.
You can think of it like a secret reservoir. It is underneath this vast Sonoran Desert about thirty miles west of the city. On former farmland lies a collection of forty-acre basins. Some bare dirt, some holding water that has yet to seep into the soil.
“We fill these large reservoirs up, they look like small lakes. But what’s actually happening is the water is percolating into the aquifer. During the process,it is turning into groundwater.
For more than 20 years Tucson has been preparing for this crisis.
Its Aggressive conservation measures and underground water storage will help Tucson residents.
In Oro Valley, AZ
In Oro Valley, the story is much the same.
The Oro Valley Water Utility Newsletter provided information on the Utility.
In it director – Peter Abraham – outlined the steps the Utility has taken.
Since 2005, the Oro Valley Water Utility has secured the legal right to add water resources.
Currently, three water sources make up the Town’s water resource portfolio.
- Groundwater
- Colorado River water delivered through the Central Arizona Project.
- Reclaimed water used for construction and irrigation purposes.
The diversified water resource portfolio reduces the demands placed on the aquifer. It also provides flexibility in responding to water supply emergencies and drought.
Abraham states – “Oro Valley is among the most water resilient communities in the Southwest. For over two decades we’ve been planning for water shortages by storing over 25% of our annual CAP water allocation in underground aquifer storage facilities for future use”.
The Future
Excerpts from speech by Sharon B. Megdal – Director, Water Resources Research Center The University of Arizona offered these insights in a speech.
Local, national, and international media have been covering the poor health of the Colorado River system for some time, with the shortage declaration bringing media interest to a crescendo.
Like many, I’ve spoken with reporters, who ask about who will be most impacted by the cutbacks in water deliveries.
However, we cannot deny that the situation is bad and has worsened sooner and faster than we thought it would. Rather than a “business as usual” mindset, adjustment – adaptation – is necessary.
After so many years of reduced precipitation and runoff, 30-year rolling averages reflect the “new normal.” While we can hope for better-than-average flows, we need to prepare for worse-than-average conditions.
For The Full Content of This Presentation – GO HERE
Tucson Water Administration and Customer Services offices are located at
310 W. Alameda St. (northeast corner of W. Alameda St. and N. Granada Ave.)
Tucson Arizona 85701.
Check the Map for Directions to the Tucson Water Offices from your location.
Conclusion
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