Phoenix passes water conservation policy that restricts turf, outdoor irrigation on new development, promotes native flora

With drought-stricken regions in the western United States growing at a rapid pace, administrators in cities throughout the West are working hard to craft policies that reduce their water consumption. Most recently, the Phoenix City Council unanimously passed a new water conservation policy earlier this month that, among other things, regulates non-functional turf, outdoor irrigation and swimming pools, prioritizes navite flona, and better regulates large water users.

“Our vote today has been years in the making and reflects Phoenix’s intentional, comprehensive approach to protect our water resources,” said Phoenix Mayor Kate Gallego. “Our sustainable desert development policy demonstrates that in the face of concerns about water security in the West, we are not resting—we are working, and we are innovating. Together with our suite of conservation programs, these strategies will safeguard our precious water supply for decades to come.”
The Sustainable Desert City Development Policy was crafted based on a framework created in the Verdin development, a neihborhood in North Phoenix that embraced water conservation measures. Altogether, the homes in Verdin are projected to use 55 million fewer gallons per year than a standard subdivision of equivolent size. Even more significantly, a statement about the policy notes Verdin’s preservation of natural desert landscaping will save nearly 80 million gallons of water per year. 

The conservation initiative comes while seven western states are considering how to divvy up water allocations from the Colorado River. Earlier this year, the Department of the Interior’s Bureau of Reclamation weighed in on state allocations, putting forward a few potential draft proposals. One calls for equal distribution and another distributes allotments dependent on water rights priorities. 

Reducing the city’s localized consumption needs is a part of a bigger plan. Coinciding with ongoing conversation about Colorado River allotments, the three states that receive water from the Colorado River’s lower basin—Arizona, California and Nevada—announced a plan to drastically reduce water demand beginning in 2024.

Given the crisis, “the city can no longer depend on receiving its full allocation from the Colorado River,” reads the introduction to the resolution for the Sustainable Desert City Development Policy. “For this reason, in June 2022, the Water Services Director declared a ‘Stage 1 Water Alert’ as part of the City’s Drought Management Plan, which means a supply insufficiency is likely in the future.”

To that end, the Sustainable Desert City Development Policy sets conservation measures for new developments including restrictions on turf, requires drought tolerant and native plants to be used instead of those that require a lot of water, sets standards for outdoor irrigation and swimming pools, and perserves open space, among other things. It also codifies water usage best practices in the city’s zoning ordinance and building code.

Additionally, organizations or businesses that use an average of 250,000 gallons or more per day will be required to submit a water conservation plan to city administrators describing conservation measures. For those using more than 500,000 gallons per day, the plan “must include a specific plan that demonstrates that at least 30% of the larger water user’s consumptive use is from a recycled or conserved water source.”

For more information about the Sustainable Desert City Development Plan, visit Phoenix’s municipal website.