Is Tucson Running Out of Water?

“Is Tucson running out of water?!”

This is a question I get asked by clients and have even wondered myself — and the answer may surprise you. Thanks to a legacy of water conservation, forward-thinking policy, and a dedication to developing ambitious infrastructure, Tucson is actually one of the most water-resilient cities in the Southwest.

In the ‘60s & ‘70s, Tucson purchased and retired farm lands in Avra Valley, just northwest of the city, and those lands now serve as large basins where Colorado River water is recharged into the local aquifer. According to John Kmiec — Deputy Director of Tucson Water — we have 2 million acre feet of water in storage for a “rainy day” fund, in addition to the water that we allocate and replenish yearly.

And in recent decades, Tucson has become a global leader in rainwater harvesting, water recycling, and conservation. Notably, in 1984, the city became one of the first in the nation to use recycled treated wastewater to irrigate at a large scale, including at public schools, parks, and golf courses. And because of the city’s conservation efforts, in the last 20 years water use has dropped 33% per person. That means that despite growing 40% in population, Tucson uses the same amount of drinking water that it did in the mid-1980s.

While every drop counts and this doesn’t mean you should go seed your yard with grass (astro turf is a comparable alternative!) it does mean that Tucson’s creative approach and forward thinking have set the city up so that we have enough water to thrive in our beautiful desert environment for the foreseeable future.

The information from this article and more can be found in the City of Tucson’s Responsible Desert Dweller Guide.

Interested in buying or selling a home in Tucson? Contact Julia.

Julia Van Valkenburg, Realtor

OMNI Homes International

julia@buyselltucsonhomes.com

520-275-3514

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