In Arizona, water is something everyone thinks about.
It’s in the background when a homeowner decides whether to keep a grass lawn or replace it with desert landscaping. It comes up when a city asks residents to conserve. And it becomes especially important during another long, hot summer when temperatures climb and water use goes up.
But how much water an Arizona household uses can depend greatly on where it lives. A family in a newer, compact neighborhood may use far less water than a household on a large lot with a swimming pool and a green lawn. And the difference between communities can be striking.
Water officials measure those differences using gallons per capita per day, or GPCD — essentially, how much residential water the average person uses each day. Data from the Arizona Department of Water Resources shows across Arizona, the average residential use is about 146 gallons per person per day. As much as 70% of that water can be used outside the house, primarily for landscaping and pools.
That helps explain why some Arizona communities use considerably more water than others.
It starts with the yard
Consider Scottsdale. The city is among the Valley’s highest residential water users, with estimates generally ranging from 160 to 190 gallons per person per day, according to the Center for the Future of Arizona.
That doesn’t necessarily mean Scottsdale residents are wasteful. Many homes have larger lots, swimming pools and extensive landscaping. Some older neighborhoods also have established grass yards that require regular irrigation.
Compare that with Tucson, where residential water use has fallen to roughly 76 gallons per person per day according to data from the University of Arizona.
The difference is enormous — more than 80 gallons per person every day. Tucson’s experience shows how changes in landscaping, conservation efforts and development patterns can have a meaningful impact on water demand.
The Valley falls somewhere in between
Most major Valley communities fall between those two extremes. City data shows Peoria and Glendale generally use around 120 to 140 gallons per person per day, while Mesa averages approximately 115 to 130 gallons.
Chandler is somewhat lower, at about 112 gallons per person per day. Chandler’s numbers reflect years of conservation efforts. The city says it has reduced per-capita water use by about 20% over the past 25 years through conservation programs, rebates and water-reuse efforts.
Phoenix also has a wide range of water use depending on the neighborhood. City of Phoenix data indicates residential consumption can run from roughly 100 to 155 gallons per person per day.
The variation within the city is a reminder that averages don’t tell the whole story. A small home with desert landscaping can have a very different water footprint from a larger house with a lawn and pool — even if both homes are in the same city.
Pinal County tells another story
Outside the major metropolitan centers, water use can climb considerably higher.
The Pinal Active Management Area has historically recorded residential consumption of about 184 gallons per person per day. Again, the reason isn’t simply that people in Pinal County use water differently. Development patterns matter. Larger lots mean more landscaping. More grass means more irrigation. And homes farther from the urban core often have more outdoor space to maintain.
As communities in Pinal County continue to grow, those patterns could become increasingly important.
Most of the water may be outside the house
For Arizona homeowners, the biggest opportunity to save water may not be in the kitchen or bathroom. It may be in the yard. Between 50% and 70% of residential water use in the Valley can be attributed to outdoor use, depending on the community and household.
That means replacing grass with desert-adapted plants can make a substantial difference. So can adjusting irrigation schedules, fixing leaks and choosing plants that can survive Arizona’s climate without constant watering. It’s one reason xeriscaping has become increasingly common across the state.
Cities are also looking beyond conservation inside individual homes.
Wastewater recycling allows communities to treat water after it leaves homes and businesses and put it to use again. Chandler and Phoenix, among other cities, have extensive water-reuse programs.
Reclaimed water can be used for things such as landscape irrigation, parks and golf courses or sent back underground to help replenish water supplies. That means the story isn’t simply about how much water comes out of a faucet. It’s also about what happens to that water afterward.
A growing state faces a complicated question
Arizona continues to grow, putting more pressure on communities to provide water for new homes, businesses and residents. But the state’s water-use numbers show that population growth doesn’t automatically have to translate into the same percentage increase in residential water demand.
Tucson has dramatically reduced its per-person use. Chandler has made significant progress. Phoenix has seen long-term declines in residential consumption even as its population has grown. Those examples offer a possible path forward for newer and faster-growing communities.
For Arizona, the challenge may ultimately come down to a simple question: Can the state keep growing while using less water per person? The answer may depend less on how many people move here and more on the communities they move into — and whether those communities are built around swimming pools and grass lawns or the realities of living in a desert.
Matt Loeschman has had two separate stints at Independent Newsmedia. He began as a reporter covering Peoria and later Surprise from 2000-2009. In 2017, he returned to Arizona and INI as the news editor of the Daily News-Sun (now the Phoenix Independent). He previously covered the Arizona Rattlers of the Indoor Football League for more than a decade.
Community: During high school football season since 2017, he contributes live postgame radio reports to the AzPreps 365 Friday Night Football Wrapup Show. He supports organizations such as Phoenix Children’s, Boys and Girls Clubs of the Valley and the American Cancer Society.
Education: The University of Texas at Austin majoring in Journalism-News and Public Affairs.
Random Fact: He can sing and he has been fortunate to meet many famous people during his journalism career including First Lady Hillary Clinton, King of Country Music George Strait and Oscar-winning actor Matthew McConaughey. Attended all 4 home games of the 2001 World Series.
Hobbies: Watching and playing a wide variety of sports, including golf, tennis, pickleball and softball. Playing PlayStation 5, working out, shopping and reading.
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