The City of Mesa maintains its Stage One Water Shortage status following an announcement by the United States Bureau of Reclamation (BOR) that Lake Mead will be at a Tier 2a shortage by January 2023.
The City of Mesa declared a Stage One Water Shortage in May of this year. Even though mandatory conservation measures are not required of customers in this stage, the City of Mesa pledged to reduce its municipal water use. Just in the first three months since the Stage One declaration, the City of Mesa Parks, Recreation and Commercial Facilities Department cut its water usage by 14 percent by using modern park design methods that incorporate more desert landscape and low-water-use plants, smart landscape watering technology and increased staff training.
“The rapid decline of conditions on the Colorado River is serious. Even with updated shortage information from the BOR, Mesa remains in a Stage One Shortage according to our Water Shortage Management Plan,” said Mayor John Giles. “This is possible because of sound utility management and deliberate efforts to use water more efficiently at City facilities.”
As basin states work together with the Bureau of Reclamation, it will be made clearer in the next several weeks exactly how much Mesa’s Colorado River Supplies will be cut. To ensure the reliability of water supplies, the City of Mesa continues to strategically plan for a future with less Colorado River water and evaluate additional steps for deeper levels of shortage.
“Continuing to meet customer demand is possible because Mesa Water Resources has prepared for a wide range of water shortage scenarios,” said Chris Hassert, Water Resources Director. “We’ve strengthened the reliability of our diverse water portfolio, analyzed infrastructure needs to ensure water can be moved where needed, optimized operational efficiencies and planned and invested in new infrastructure to access more water.”
Residents and businesses can also do their part to use water more efficiently by making simple lifestyle changes that make a big impact on the City’s ability to meet water demands. Here are the top five ways to conserve water:
1. Know Your Numbers: Use the “Know Your H2O Water Calculator” to
determine the optimal household water usage.
www.mesaaz.gov/watercalculator
2. Find and Fix Leaks: A leaky toilet flapper or a broken
irrigation system are water wasters that cost money.
www.mesaaz.gov/findandfixleaks
3. Be Smart About Outdoor Water Use: Learn how to water landscape
efficiently and harvest rainwater.
www.mesaaz.gov/residents/water/water-conservation/saving- water-outdoors
4. Choose Water-Thrifty Plants: These plants require little water
once established. Take advantage of an incentive up to $575 to
convert a water-thirsty lawn to Xeriscape.
www.mesaaz.gov/residents/water/water-conservation/low-water- use-plants
5. Install WaterSense Labeled Products: Save water and money with
a WaterSense labeled toilet, showerhead, faucet and other
products. www.epa.gov/watersense/watersense-products
“Responsible water use and conservation have always been vital, and it’s something the City of Mesa actively uses to manage demand and maximize its water supplies,” said Mayor Giles. “While reducing water use won’t solve the Colorado River shortage, we must all do our part to use water more efficiently, especially as pressures on our water supplies increase, and we continue to experience historic drought and shortage.”
Mesa offers 100+ tips, landscape videos, plant-of-the month features and more at www.mesaaz.gov/conservation. Visit www.mesaaz.gov/water for more information about water shortage and stewardship.
