Each valley city has their own water outlook and Mesa has long prepared for shortage through careful planning to build a robust infrastructure and diverse water portfolio.
We have a 100-Year Assured Water Supply designation from the Arizona Department of Water Resources. This designation means that Mesa has shown continuous physical and legal availability of water along with water quality and financial capability standards to maintain water supplies.
There are three primary sources of water that include surface water from the Colorado River (Eastern and Southern Zones), Salt and Verde Rivers (City Zone), and groundwater supplies (all zones). The water you receive depends on where you live.
In 1980, Arizona created the Groundwater Management Act – a set of laws based on adopted doctrines and case law. This law was passed to settle numerous groundwater disputes and mitigate severe overdraft conditions. Because protecting the aquifer is so important, Mesa’s groundwater is considered a “backup supply” and is not intended to be a primary source of water. It is meant for emergencies or extreme shortage conditions.
When people think of water shortage they typically think of drought. While drought is a main cause of water shortage, there are other influencing factors that cause shortage including infrastructure failure, customer demand, regulatory actions, chemical shortages, and outages.
What is happening?
Due to historic drought, hotter and drier conditions, and more water being used than nature can supply, the Colorado River is in a state of shortage.
Under the current operating elevation guidelines, the United States Bureau of Reclamation has declared that the Colorado River will remain in a Tier 1 Shortage for 2025. Read more about Colorado River conditions.
Even though Colorado River supplies make up about half of the City of Mesa’s water portfolio, the City continues to provide reliable water services and strategically plan for a future with less water.
Mesa remains in a Stage One - Water Watch of the Water Shortage Management Plan
Here's what to expect in Stage One:
- No mandatory water use reductions. Residents and businesses are encouraged to use water more efficiently. See our Water Conservation resources
- We aim to cut our own water consumption at Mesa facilities, including parks.
What is Mesa doing?
We have proactively invested in infrastructure, water supplies, underground water storage and demand management programs. These preparations bring water resiliency and dependability to Mesa, especially during times of shortage.
- Managing and balancing the water needs of new growth, including policy changes to manage large water users and working with commercial/industrial customers on water sustainability plans.
- Maximizing efficiency in operations by utilizing industry best practice water auditing.
- Employing advanced technologies for pipe inspection and replacement to reduce water loss in the distribution system. Mesa has less water loss from main breaks and leaks than the national average.
- Using water efficiently in parks and along Mesa streets by installing smart landscape controllers that monitor weather conditions and plant health and detect leaks.
- Adopting a comprehensive Water Shortage Management Plan to navigate various stages of shortage to maintain sustainable water supplies.
- Increasing the reuse of wastewater by providing effluent (treated wastewater) for agricultural use in exchange for approximately 8,000 acre-feet of vital surface water supplies a year.
- Investing in water supply resiliency projects to maximize the exchange of effluent for potable water supplies through the Central Mesa Reuse Pipeline - gaining an additional 12,000 acre-feet of water a year.
- Exploring sustainable and cost-effective water augmentation opportunities.
- Banking over 560,000 acre-feet of water stored in the aquifer as an important component to shortage and long-term planning.
- Expanding customer outreach and conservation programs to help residents and businesses take an active part in using water efficiently.
- Increasing monetary incentives for turf removal and irrigation efficiency improvements.
- Utilizing a four-tiered rate structure and implementing a drought commodity charge to encourage water conservation.
- Actively engaging in state and federal Colorado River discussions to advocate on behalf of Mesa residents to ensure water resiliency for the long term.
- Participating in a historic partnership with other water agencies to bolster Lake Mead levels with a 1,200 acre-feet contribution as part of the 500+ Plan.
- Doing our part, along with other valley cities, as Arizona takes the lead to address water shortage in the west.
(1 One acre-foot = 325,851 gallons)
What can you do?
While water conservation measures are currently voluntary, practical water-wise changes in lifestyle can significantly impact our community's water future. To learn how you can help, visit our Water Conservation page for tips, tools, and resources to save water and money.
Quick tips:
We build and maintain one of the largest water pipe infrastructure systems in Arizona. Water loss control in the distribution system is key to a sustainable water supply. We have less water loss from main breaks and leaks than the national average due to a rigorous pipe inspection and replacement program. The latest technologies are used to detect leaks before they happen so repairs can be made and old pipe replaced.
We also conduct water loss audits to identify, document, evaluate and address water losses using industry-recognized and best management practices of the American Water Works Association's M36 methodology.
We promote and encourage voluntary water conservation. Municipal water efficiency is at the top of the list when managing water demands. Mesa ensures all facilities use water as efficiently as possible in their business functions.
It doesn't help to have adequate water supply if the water can't be treated. Maintaining water treatment capacity needed to meet customer demand is an essential part of water stewardship. Mesa treats water at three state-of-the-art water treatment plants including the new Signal Butte Water Treatment Plant. Learn more about our water treatment and processes.
In 2019, the Mesa City Council approved the Large Customer Sustainable Water Allowance ordinance to manage large commercial/industrial water users. The ordinance requires these customers to stay within a water budget and in some cases, they must bring their own water to the table – meaning they must acquire long-term storage credits on their own that they turn over to Mesa. These credits are used over time to meet the high water demands of their business operations. This ordinance protects Mesa's water supplies from being compromised, while balancing economic development opportunity.
Mesa professionals are experts at getting their hands on more water in creative ways. Part of this strategy includes infrastructure investments - thanks to Mesa residents who approve bonds.
What does a water reclamation plant have to do with drinking water supplies?
Treated wastewater (effluent) from the plant is sent to the Gila River Indian Community for crop irrigation in exchange for vital Colorado River supplies. The exchange is a ratio of one acre-foot of Mesa reclaimed water to .8 acre-foot of Colorado River water. It is a win, win exchange because irrigating with effluent is much cheaper than river water and Mesa can use the potable water supplies - also it is a beneficial reuse of effluent.
Another infrastructure investment to expand Mesa's water resources is the 10.5-mile Central Mesa Reuse Pipeline, which will deliver effluent produced at the Northwest Water Reclamation Plant as part of the water exchange agreement with the Gila River Indian Community. The pipeline helps Mesa meet the conditions of the exchange agreement by maximizing deliveries and gaining an additional 12,000 acre-feet of Colorado River water supplies.
Recharge (putting water back into the aquifer) is another way that Mesa increases its water supply through long-term storage credits. Class A+ effluent is locally recharged to the Granite Reef Underground Storage Project. On average, Mesa recharges about 8,000 acre-feet of water a year. That is about 5.4 million gallons a day! All that water is stored underground (banked) for recovery later when needed most. Mesa has over 540,000 acre-feet of water stored in the aquifer. Long-term storage credits are an important component to shortage and long-term resilience planning.
Learn more about beneficial reuse in the wastewater treatment, reclamation and recharge process.