1. Water security in Tucson, AZ, usa
Emily Bell, University of Arizona
World Bank Water Scarce Cities Workshop
July 10, 2017

2. Tucson, Arizona
Source: Google Maps

3. History of Arizona Water Demand
Growing city demand outpacing agricultural
Annual rainfall of
Phoenix: 20cm
Tucson: 28cm
Continued effects of drought
Source: phoenix.gov
Source: tucsonaz.gov

4. Overuse of Groundwater
Decline in groundwater levels and quality
Fissures and subsidence

5. Water Usage Policies 1968 Central Arizona Project
1980 Groundwater Management Act, requires “safe yield”
In the Phoenix, Prescott, and Tucson AMAs, which include the large urban areas of the state, the primary management goal is to attain "safe-yield" by Safe-yield is defined as a long-term balance between the annual amount of groundwater withdrawn in the AMA and the annual amount of natural and artificial recharge. In the Santa Cruz AMA, where significant international, riparian and groundwater/surface water issues exist, the goal is to maintain safe-yield and prevent local water tables from experiencing long-term declines. In the Pinal AMA, where a predominantly agricultural economy exists, the goal is to allow the development of nonirrigation water uses, extend the life of the agricultural economy for as long as feasible, and preserve water supplies for future non-agricultural uses.
Source: azwater.gov

6. Aquifer Recharge
CAP water delivered to Tucson beginning in 1992, but too acidic
Recharged, blended with local alkaline water
Currently stores ~20 years worth
Important because junior priority status if DOI declares shortage on CO River
Source: usbr.gov
Source: tucsonaz.gov

7. Wastewater Reuse
Irrigation for parks, golf courses, schools, and homes
Riparian restoration
Source: worldgolf.com
Source: tucsonaudubon.org

8. Rainwater Harvesting (RWH)
Passive
Active
Source: watershedmg.org
Source: Trisports.com

9. Regulations to Promote RWH
2008 Commercial RWH Ordinance
50% of irrigation from RWH
Businesses submit annual water-use budget and report
Green Streets Active Practice Guidelines
(Re)construction of roadways must incorporate passive RWH
Source: tucsonaz.gov

10. RWH Incentives 2009 Residential Green Building Program
Builders receive $200 per home
Homeowners receive one-time $1000 tax credit
2012 Residential RWH Rebate Program
Covers 50% of associated costs
$500 for passive (i.e., materials and equipment rental)
$2000 for active (i.e., cisterns and associated materials)

11. RWH Education Workshops 16 demonstration sites Required for rebate
Also available to community
16 demonstration sites
Public access
Educational opportunities
RWH regulation compliant
Source: seriaz.org
Source: uanews.arizona.edu

12. Challenge: Capital Costs for Utility
Conservation fee: 20% of water bill for avg. single-family household
grey water programs
RWH programs
high-efficiency appliances programs
education programs
RWH program generates greatest expense for the utility:
40% hike in conservation fee in 2012, coincided with rebate program
some discontent consumers

13. Challenge: Reducing Consumption
2015, RWH rebate program participants collectively:
reduced usage by 4% of city’s gallons per capita used per day
stored .07% of city’s gallons per capita used per day
Reasons participants do not reduce usage:
already use relatively less water
supplementing landscape irrigation with RWH
cost of water too low (1.3% of Tucson’s median household income)
Related administrative challenges:
low repeat participation in RWH workshops after rebate
rebates paid to participants with delinquent accounts

14. Reducing Costs with Passive RWH
Social and environmental benefits outweigh 50% of costs:
Infiltration trenches
Xeriscape swales
Water harvesting basins
Source: harvestingrainwater.com
Source: nwrm.eu
Source: pinterest.com

15. Additional Benefits of Passive RWH
Passive rainwater harvesting can improve the tree canopy
Reduces costs of electric bills for cooling
Reduces costs of irrigation

16. Challenge: Affordability for Consumers
2014: utility identified virtually no participation of low-income families in RWH rebate program
25% of Tucson population in poverty
No low-income program because
Lack of support
Insufficient funds
Source: Rothschild et al. 2012

17. Accessibility through Loans and Grants
Tucson Water hired environmental justice specialist, roundtable with local non-profits
: $300,000 for pilot program for 100 low-income families
Tucson partners with Sonoran Environmental Research Institute
Loans up to $2000 to cover capital costs of RWH systems
Grants up to $400 for active and passive RWH materials
Extra funds go to operational costs

18. Next Steps Tucson seeks to expand rainwater harvesting
March 2017: Tucson Stormwater Summit
Discussion:
competing and complementary goals
perceptions of where to install RWH
Summit conclusions:
need regulatory champions to push RWH
reframe problems/solutions to gain support of RWH
Source: American Rivers et al. 2017

19. Conclusion
Tucson not facing immediate water crisis, but population projected to grow 50% by 2050
Wastewater can help offset some demand, but likely not for potable use
Passive RWH may have highest net value, especially if cost of water increases
Utility needs to continue to systematically measure and quantify RWH benefits to justify costs

20. Thank You Emily Bell emonken@email.arizona.edu

21. References
ADWR “Securing Arizona’s Water Future: Overview of the Arizona Groundwater Management Code.” ——— “AMA Cultural Water Demand -- Municipal Demand.” Securing Arizona’s Water Future. uralWaterDemand-Municipal.htm. AOEC “Arizona State and County Population Projections 2015 to 2050, High Series.” projections. Carruth, Robert L., Donald R. Pool, and C Anderson “Land Subsidence and Aquifer Compaction in the Tucson Active Management Area , South-Central Arizona, 1987 – 2005.” U.S. Geological Survey Scientific Investigations Report CDWR “Water Sector Plan.” City of Tucson “Water Plan ” Tucson. ——— Commercial Water Harvesting Ordinance. ——— “Regional Residential Green Remodeling Rating System.” ———. 2016a. “Citizens’ Water Advisory Committee Conservation and Education Subcommittee Legal Action R.” ———. 2016b. “Water Conservation Program FY Annual Report.” 15_Report_Final_Condensed.pdf. ———. 2017a. “How to Qualify.” ———. 2017b. “Minutes of MAYOR AND COUNCIL Meeting.” ———. 2017c. “Rainwater Harvesting Rebate.” ———. 2017d. “Residential Rates and Charges.” ———. 2017e. “Workshop and Project Plans.” Davis, Tony. 2014a. “Tucson Looks at Treating Wastewater for Drinking.” Arizona Daily Star. looks-at-treating-wastewater-for-drinking/article_d2b3e1b9-3eef-5869-baf5-e0ca8bf0a826.html. ———. 2014b. “Tucson May Expand Rainwater-Harvesting Rebates.” Arizona Daily Star. politics/tucson-may-expand-rainwater-harvesting-rebates/article_e7c73e50-2dc3-5a9a-b717-e91caa17de47.html. ——— “Poor People Left out of Tucson Water Harvesting Rebates.” Arizona Daily Star, July 4. e9b adf3-ea9d443ab089.html.

22. References
Elias, Albert “Mayor and Council Memorandum.” Hester, Beverly, Irene Ogata, Gary Wittwer, Mead Meir, Josh Pope, Claire Zucker, Marie Light, et al “Low Impact Development and Green Infrastructure Guidance Manual.” doi: /CBO Hummer, Nejlah, and Susanna Eden “Potable Reuse of Water.” Arroyo. doi: /C5EW90021B. Khawam, Yves, and Rich Franz “Southern Arizona Regional Residential Green Building Rating System City of Tucson Green Building Program.” Lancaster, Brad Rainwater Harvesting for Drylands and Beyond. Tucson: Rainsource Press. Larson, Kelli L., Annie Gustafson, and Paul Hirt Insatiable Thirst and a Finite Supply: An Assessment of Municipal Water-Conservation Policy in Greater Phoenix, Arizona, 1980–2007. Journal of Policy History. Vol. 21. doi: /S Leake, S.A “Land Subsidence From Ground-Water Pumping.” Impact of Climate Change and Land Use in the Southwestern United States: Human Impacts on the Landscape. Mcglade, Caitlin “Parched: Arizona per Capita Water Use Declining.” The Republic. use-decline/ /. NOAA “All-Time Yearly Precipitation Records for Tucson ( ).” ——— “Monthly and Daily Normals ( ) plus Daily Extremes ( ) for TUCSON, ARIZONA.” PAG “CLEARWATER RENEWABLE RESOURCE FACILITY STABLE ISOTOPE STUDY: Fiscal Year Progress Report.” htm. ——— “Advancements in Low Impact Development and Green Infrastructure in the Tucson Region: Proceedings of the LID Workshop and Field Experience.” Phillips, A., and Frank Sousa “City of Tucson Water Harvesting Guidance Manual – A Multifunctional Tool for Sustainable Water Use, Water Conservation and Stormwater Management.” Tucson.

23. References
Ransom, Daniel “HUD Water Wednesdays Incorporating Green Infrastructure into Housing & Community Development Projects.” Tucsonaz.gov/water/rebate. Reidy, Kevin “Land Use and Colorado’s Water Plan.” Rothschild, Jonathan, Paul Cunningham, Richard Fimbres, Steve Kozachik, Regina Romero, Shirley Scott, and Karin Uhlich “Plan Tucson: City of Tucson General and Sustainability Plan 2013.” Rothschild, Jonathan, Regina Romero, Paul Cunningham, Karin Uhlich, Shirley Scott, Richard Fimbres, Steve Kozachik, and Richard Miranda “City of Tucson Poverty and Urban Stress, 2012.” cms3.tucsonaz.gov/files/hcd/PovReport2012final.pdf. Schuster, Stefan, Paul Robbins, Lauren Ross, Sharlene Leurig, Jennifer Walker, Tom Mason, Marisa Perales, et al “Austin Water Resource Planning Task Force Report to City Council July 2014.” SERI “Projects.” SNWA “Water Development and Diversification: Southern Nevada’s Past, Present, and Future Water Needs.” “Tucson Stormwater Summit.” Tucson. Tucson Water “2012 Update: Water Plan ” Tucson. University of Arizona Cooperative Extension “Water Harvest.” Water Wise. US Census Bureau “Tucson City, Arizona.” Quick Facts. USEPA “Healthy Drinking Waters for Massachusetts: Safe and Health Lives in Safe and Healthy Communities.” ——— “Green Infrastructure in Arid and Semi-Arid Climates: Adapting Innovative Stormwater Management Techniques to the Water-Limited West.” Water Education Foundation, and UA WRRC Layperson’s Guide to Arizona Water. Waterfall, Patricia H., and Christina Bickelmann “Harvesting Rainwater: Guide to Water-Efficient Landscaping.” City of Tucson. Wittwer, Gary “Engineering Division Active Practice Guidelines: Green Streets.” Tucson: Department of Transportation.

24. Photo Credits
abc News “Arizona Geological Survey finds new fissure in Pinal County”. ADWR “Active Management Area Water Supply – Central Arizona Project Water”. American Rivers, Tucson Water, Pima County, and PAG “Integrating Green Infrastructure into a ‘One Water’ Stormwater Discussion for Tucson”. City of Phoenix. “Human Resources”. City of Tucson “City of Tucson Court to Close April 1-4” “Images from around Tucson” “Technical Library”. GoGolfArizona.com “Diverse Golf Options in Tucson and Southern Arizona”. Google Maps “Arizona”. USGS “Groundwater Depletion”. Lancaster, Brad ”Backwater or Eddy Basins” “Brad Lancaster – Regenerative Rights-of-Way Public Talk”.

25. Photo Credits
Megdal, Sharon B., Peter Dillon, and Kenneth Seasholes “Water Banks: Using Managed Aquifer Recharge to Meet Water Policy
NWRM “Infiltration Trenches”.
Objectives”. Water, 6 (6):
Pinterest. “Drought tolerant”.
Rothschild, Jonathan, Regina Romero, Paul Cunningham, Karin Uhlich, Shirley Scott, Richard Fimbres, Steve
Kozachik, and Richard Miranda “City of Tucson Poverty and Urban Stress, 2012.” cms3.tucsonaz.gov/files/hcd/PovReport2012final.pdf.
Sonoran Environmental Research Institute “Rainwater Harvesting Workshops”.
TriSports.com Blog “Water”.
University of Arizona “Nature Conservancy, UA Develop Site for Rainwater Harvesting”.
USDOI. “1970s Photo Gallery”.
Watershed Management Group. “8th St. and Fremont Ave”.
“Rain Tanks”.