Stark picture for Arizona water supply, Tucson could be oasis in desert

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TUCSON (KVOA) – Arizona has been in a state of drought for two decades. For the first time in the modern history of the Colorado River, Lake Mead is likely to be declared a water shortage. If this is combined with rising temperatures and climate change, it could create problems for Arizona’s water supply.

A report released in May by the Kyl Center for Water Policy paints a clear picture of Arizona’s water supply. “First of all, too many people use groundwater. We need to find ways to curb this use, ”said Kathleen Ferris, Senior Research Fellow at the Kyl Center.

The report says that most of the state is not making secure income and is not pumping more groundwater than can be replenished. “In other words, as long as we continue we call it mine groundwater, which means that more is withdrawn than you replenish, the less groundwater you have. And groundwater is a finite supply, ”said Ferris.

But could Tucson be the oasis in the desert?

Unlike Phoenix, Tucson is on or near safe rates of return. “Tucson is in a little better shape than the other active management areas right now, but the Department of Water Resources says the ability to achieve that goal is at risk,” Ferris said.

The city began shipping water from the Colorado River 20 years ago. “On a net balance sheet level, Tucson Water consumes 100% water from the Colorado River,” said James MacAdam, Tucson Water’s Superintendent of Public Information and Conservation. This means that the utility is still pumping groundwater in some parts of the city. But it takes in an equivalent amount of water from the Colorado River and recharges it.

Tucson Water actually created water. “Tucson Water has been playing the long game for decades. Our allotment from the Colorado River is 144,000 acres of feet per year, our water usage is approximately 90-100 acres per year. So that means that in the last few years we have actually put half a year of water into the aquifer every year, “said MacAdam.

The city is in that position because the Tucsonans were really great at saving water. “Per capita water use in Tucson has declined since the 1970s. About 1-2% a year, it actually accelerated 10-15 years ago.” said Pofesser Thomas Meixner, director of hydrology and atmospheric science at the University of Arizona. Tucson Water also said its users have reduced their water usage by 30% per person over the past few decades.

Tucsonans have also adopted the desert landscape. Lawns are rare. Net zero yards are more the rule than the exception today. One of the greatest challenges for the state, however, is the influx of new residents and the associated construction. Ferris doesn’t believe Tucson will be able to maintain secure income in the long term. “We have used too much development on raw desert land and are just bringing new uses into the system,” said Ferris.

But McAdam says the utility company is able to handle the growing population. “People who move here from other places, our population is growing, our economy is growing, we have achieved that over the last 30 years by decoupling water consumption and growth. ” he said.

The Kyl Center report says conservation is not enough at this point. The state needs a new, courageous water policy. Arizona legislature passed the Groundwater Management Act in 1980 with a goal of achieving safe income by 2025. A goal that will be impossible today under current Arizona Department of Water Resources regulations. One recommendation is to address long-term rights to pump groundwater, including a fee or tax on extracted groundwater.

Tucson Water is also looking for alternative water sources such as rain or rainwater. The utility is offering customers a discount of up to $ 2000 for installing rainwater harvesting systems. It also has a green rainwater infrastructure mini-grant program that provides funding to neighborhoods that install water collection systems that collect water from the street.

And while Tucson is in good shape, experts say it’s not time to get complacent. “We will have to make decisions as a state,” said Ferris.

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