Arizona cities offering money incentives to residents in bid to reduce water use: Here's what to know
PHOENIX - From $800 to $1,000, and even $5,000, some Valley cities are dangling money incentives to residents, in the hope they will cut their water use amid the state's ongoing crisis.
The programs are a direct result of cities grappling with a future of less water from the Colorado River.
Here's what you should know.
Why are cities trying to get people to use less water?
As mentioned above, cities are doing so due to cuts in Colorado River water allotments.
According to the Arizona Department of Water Resources, the Colorado River provides water to over 40 million people and more than four million acres of farmland in seven so-called "basin states," which includes Arizona. However, the Associated Press has noted that the Colorado River cannot provide the water they were promised a century ago because of less snow, warmer temperatures and water lost to evaporation.
"The last 20 years, we've been in drought conditions, and so we are not able to deliver all the water to the different people as they've expected over time," said Dr. Sharon Megdal, Director of University of Arizona's Water Resources Research Center. "The Federal government is saying in order to keep the system operational, in order to keep water flowing below the dams, we have to use less because nature is not providing the water supplies it did in the past."
Several states along the Colorado River basin have struck a deal to collectively conserve 3 million acre-square feet of water, over the course of three years.
Also read: Arizona cities dealing with water issues as megadrought continues: here's what you need to know
Didn't we get a lot of rain in recent months? Doesn't that mean our water crisis is over?
Arizona did enjoy a wet few months prior to the summer season, which resulted in higher snowpack levels, as well as higher water levels at a number of lakes and reservoirs.
State water experts, however, say there is a different between short term drought resolution and long term dough conditions.
"Really understanding where we stand in the long term, if we go back to 1994 or for the last 29 years, if we look at that, we’ve had 20 years that have been deficit, that have been drier than normal, and we’ve only had nine that have been wetter than normal. So taking that into context is really important," said Arizona State Climatologist Erinanne Saffell.
What are the cities offering to residents?
Chandler
Officials with the City of Chandler offer a number of rebates and incentive programs, including a $200 rebate (subject to approval) for xeriscape landscape at homes.
The East Valley city also offers a rebate for removing grass and replacing it with low water use plants, and a rebate program for residents who install a smart irrigation controller that takes weather and soil conditions into account for landscape irrigation schedules.
You can get more information here.
Gilbert
Under a new rebate program, Gilbert residents can receive up to $800 for removing their grass and replacing it with low-water-use landscaping.
You can get more information here.
Peoria
Officials in the West Valley city state, on their website, that a number of rebate are being offered, including:
- High efficiency toilet for residences
- Smart irrigation controller
- Tree panting
- Xeriscape installation
- Xeriscape conversion
You can get more information here.
Scottsdale
City officials in Scottsdale are offering rebates for turf removal. The rebates come in at $2 per square foot, up to a total of $5,000.
"We don’t want to use any more than we have to, as we build our desert city," said City of Scottsdale Water Policy Manager Gretchen Baumgardner.
Baumgardner said people are interested in the program.
"The interest in that has grown by 400%," said City of Scottsdale Water Policy Manager Gretchen Baumgardner.
The city also has a new ordinance in place that bans grass landscapes in the front yard of new homes. The ordinance takes effect in August.
Surprise
City officials say they are accepting applications for rebates from city water customers who:
- Install a WaterSense-labeled irrigation controller
- Install xeriscape landscape for new single-family homes
- Remove turf
You can get more information here.
Tempe
The City of Tempe, on their website, lists a number of rebates they are offering for single-family homes, multi-family homes or HOAs, and commercial sites. The rebates include:
- Turf replacement
- Purchase of desert plants
- Installation of high-efficiency toilet or other fixtures
- Upgrading irrigation system with high-efficiency devices
- Gray water recycling
You can get more information here.
Are there cities that are NOT offering rebates or incentives?
Yes.
On their website, officials with the City of Phoenix say the city does not give rebates to encourage water use reduction.
Despite that, officials say the city has managed to reach water conservation goals set by the ADWR.
"Phoenix's residential gallons per capita per day (GPCD) use of water has fallen roughly 30% over the last twenty years. Phoenix customers are using less water than in 1996, despite adding 360,000 residents," read a portion of the website.
City officials say they fund programs that teach residents how to use water responsibly, and officials did not rule out rebate programs in the future.
"While incentives such as rebates have not been necessary due to residents voluntary adoption of conservation measures, Phoenix could adopt them in the future. Phoenix residents have done an excellent job voluntarily adopting to a desert lifestyle, this increases water efficiency without Phoenix having to pay residents to do so," a portion of the website read.
Besides conserving water, are there any plans to increase the state's water supply?
A number of plans to increase Arizona's water supply, such as reclaiming wastewater and desalination, have been considered. The plans, however, have their own pros and cons.
Also read: Is reusing wastewater a solution for Arizona's water woes?
Explainer: What you should know about desalination