Conserving Water in the Arid West – The Arizona initiative

Tuscon, Arizona receives a mere 10-12 inches of rain every year and the majority of that rain evaporates. According to the EPA, increasing temperatures that are expected in the future will further reduce snow pack which, in turn, will reduce the amount of surface area run off entering the state’s streams throughout the spring. With the quantity of precipitation anticipated to lower in the spring months, the water available to meet the demands of Arizona’s growing population is being reduced. This is one reason why, in Arizona and other States, focusing on conservation through rainwater, greywater (graywater) and condensate collection solutions are so important.

Not surprisingly, the municipal rainwater harvesting ordinance in Tuscon requires that 50% of all water used to irrigate lawns and gardens come from onsite sources. Therefore, Arizona has been aggressively adopting technology solutions that treat rainwater so that it can be reused in and around buildings. Incorporating sustainable landscaping practices has an obvious environment benefit in Arizona. However, there is an important economic driver for architects, engineers and developers as well. Through the adoption of out-of-the box solutions that are affordable and practical, many building’s can reduce the cost of water over the near term – every one wins.