Water Sense
   Arizona
                             Water Fact Sheet
        S
      Iome areas of Arizona are classified as abnormally
      dry to severe, according to the Arizona Drought
      Monitoring Technical Commitee drought classifica-
tion system. Water supply impacts vary geographically,
and areas with access to reservoirs are less affected. With a
naturally arid climate, a significant population increase in the
last decade, and the potential effects of climate change, water shortages
continue to be a possibility in the state's future. Despite these conditions,
however, a focus on supply management, conservation programs, and
water-efficiency education are yielding positive results.
        Sources of Supply
        Arizona receives its water from four main sources:
        the Colorado River, in-state surface water sources,
        ground water, and reclaimed wastewater. Seven
        states share water from the Colorado River. A
        series of federally constructed reservoirs divert
        water to each state as dictated by the "Law of the
        River," a legal body set up for the distribution of
        Colorado River water.

        The Central Arizona  Project delivers 1.5 million
        acre-feet of water annually to Maricopa, Pima,
        and Pinal counties in central Arizona. Phoenix,
        the state's largest city and its capital, receives
        about half of its water from the Colorado River.
        For the remainder, it relies on surface sources
        such as the Salt and  Verde Rivers, as well as
        reclaimed wastewater.

        Underground aquifers supply a significant
        amount of water around the state, especially in
        areas with limited access to Colorado River water
        or other surface water supplies. Precipitation and
                                         infiltration is not sufficient to naturally replenish
                                         groundwater sources at the rate they are being
                                         depleted.

                                         Housing a Growing Population
                                         As the second fastest-growing state in the nation,
                                         Arizona recorded more than 6.5 million residents
                                         in 2009, a number that has grown nearly 29 per-
                                         cent in one decade. While growth helps support
                                         the state's economy, increased population places
                                         additional stress on Arizona's already strained
                                         water supplies.

                                         To help protect this precious resource, the Arizona
                                         Department of Water Resources (ADWR) has estab-
                                         lished programs to ensure current and future water
                                         availability before new development can begin.

                                         Changing Climate
                                         Major Arizona cities such as Phoenix and Tucson
                                         receive an average of just 8 to 12 inches of rain
                                         annually. Even at higher  elevations, precipitation
                                         levels only reach 25 to 30 inches annually.
March 2011
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The potential effects of climate change bring
increased uncertainty to the state's outlook
for future precipitation and water supplies.
Decreased precipitation and increased tempera-
tures may reduce the amount of available sur-
face water. Climate change may also further
decrease the natural replenishment of ground-
water sources.

Lake Mead and Lake Powell, the primary reser-
voirs in Arizona that draw from the Colorado
River, have levels trending downward, although
they are currently half full. If current use and
climate trends persist, there are concerns that
climate change will  further reduce already
over-allocated Colorado River supplies.

Looking to  the Future
State and local governments and other organi-
zations focus on the management of water
supplies and on demand  management through
conservation programs. ADWR provides resi-
dents, businesses, and water providers with
 tools about water-efficient products, landscap-
 ing techniques, and educational outreach.

 In addition to their own state and local conser-
 vation efforts, the state has more than 80 part-
 nerships with the U.S. Environmental Protection
 Agency's (EPA's) WaterSense® program. Through
 the efforts of WaterSense partners, Arizona
 residents learn about savings associated with
 using WaterSense labeled products and incor-
 porating water efficiency into everyday life to
 help  preserve water for future generations.

 In fact, if only one out of 10 households in Arizona
 installed WaterSense labeled faucets or faucet
 aerators in their bathrooms, it could save more
 than  100 million gallons of water annually—
 enough to supply nearly 1,000 Arizona house-
 holds. This small change could also save Arizona
 residents $800,000 in water bills and an additional
 $1.4 million in energy costs to heat their water.

 For more information and water-saving tips, visit
 www.epa.gov/watersense.
   A Model of Partnership

   WaterSense is a household name in Arizona, thanks
   to extensive, statewide WaterSense partnerships. In
   fact, about two thirds of Arizona's population is
   served by municipalities and water companies that
   are WaterSense partners.

   ADWR won the WaterSense State Challenge by
   helping triple the state's number of local water utili-
   ty partners. As a result, Arizona was picked to host
   the first national launch of EPA's Fix a Leak Week in
   March 2009. The Arizona Municipal Water Users
   Association was also selected to host the third
annual Fix a Leak Week in March 2011, with "We're
for Water—Join  the Chase,"a four mile race that
featured a  running toilet mascot.

With Arizona households losing as much as 27 bil-
lion gallons of water annually from household
leaks—more than enough to supply every house-
hold in Tucson—WaterSense partners help educate
Arizona residents about fixing leaks and using
WaterSense labeled products. Arizona WaterSense
partners are also working on a community-based
social marketing project with WaterSense to change
water-wasting outdoor behaviors in the state.

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