Where does my water come from?

Water has been in the news a lot lately. Despite living in a desert city like Phoenix, it’s easy for me to take water for granted.

I turn on the faucet and there it is, a trusted friend who is always there for me, whether it’s filling up my water bottle or jumping in a pool on a hot summer day.

So even though water is pretty much my bestie, I have never taken the time to really understand exactly how water reaches my home. Where does water in Arizona actually come from? I need answers, so I turned to experts, like Sarah Porter.

–LUU DAGDA, ’14 BA, ASU VIDEO EDITOR

Sarah Porter, director of Kyl Center for Water Policy helps policymakers make decisions about water, and answers questions about Arizona’s water resources.

Learn more at azwaterblueprint.asu.edu.

Arizona’s water supply Four

sources supply Arizona’s water

Arizona’s total annual water demand is roughly 7 million acre-feet across industrial, municipal and agricultural sectors.

An acre-foot of water is roughly 326,000 gallons and supplies three households with a year’s worth of water.

Water used by source

Each city uses water from different sources, which may be different from cities next door.

The majority of water for residential use in Arizona comes from two systems.

Water in the CAP system is brought in from the Colorado River through a 336-mile system that begins at Lake Havasu and ends in Tucson. Melted snow from the Upper Rockies feeds the supply.

Salt River Project Water from the SRP system begins as melted snow that flows down the mountains and into the Salt and Verde rivers.

On average, SRP water travels about 150 miles from the source.

“I have a newfound appreciation for the journey water took to get here. I also like the thought that my water bottle is filled with melted mountain snow. And a little bit of magic .”