Water Supply Planning
The City of Scottsdale works every day to ensure a reliable supply of water for today and for future generations of Scottsdale residents. In our desert environment water is a scarce resource, so Scottsdale’s Water Resources Department promotes a water efficient lifestyle with its comprehensive water conservation strategy and focuses on careful planning to build a sustainable water supply.
Planning for Scottsdale's Water Future
Scottsdale's Assured Water Supply
Our comprehensive water conservation strategy includes:
· Promoting a Strong Conservation Ethic
Water conservation is key for desert cities, and Scottsdale is no exception. Scottsdale offers a comprehensive lineup of water conservation programs, including rebates, educational workshops, free home water audits, and free literature.
We are building a sustainable water supply by:
· Increasing our surface water use
Not too long ago, all of Scottsdale’s drinking water was pumped from wells. Today, most of our drinking water comes from surface water supplies, like the Salt River and the Colorado River.
Salt River Project
Central Arizona Project
· Reclaiming, reusing, and recharging our effluent
We treat and deliver reclaimed wastewater effluent to more than twenty golf courses to water their grass. During periods of low golf course demand, we treat it to drinking water standards and use it to recharge the groundwater aquifer.
· Protecting our groundwater supply
Groundwater wells back up surface water supplies when they aren't available. To make sure the groundwater is there when we need it, we pump only as much groundwater as we actually need. We also recharge Central Arizona Project (CAP) water into the aquifer to bank water for future use.
Groundwater & Sustainability