Behind the Meter Water Utility Fall 2022 Newsletter

BEHIND THE

METER

O R O VA L L E Y W AT E R U T I L I TY N E W S L E T T E R

FA L L 2 0 2 2

A MESSAGE FROM OUR DIRECTOR Oro Valley’s sources of water supply have expanded over time.

Prior to 2005 the Town’s Water Utility only had groundwater as the water supply available to meet the water resource needs of the community. To ensure Peter Abraham, P.E. Water Utility Director the long-term sustainability of the community, the Town’s leadership recognized that other sources of water supply would be required to meet the needs of the growing community.

Since that time to now the Water Utility has secured the legal right to additional water resources as well as constructed the infrastructure required to deliver those water resources to our service area.

Currently three water sources make up the Town’s water resource portfolio. They are: Groundwater Colorado River water delivered through the Central Arizona Project (CAP) Reclaimed water (used for construction and irrigation purposes) Having a diversified water resource portfolio not only reduces the demands placed on the aquifer, it also gives the Utility a great deal of flexibility on how the Utility responds to water supply emergencies and drought.

Photograph of the Colorado River

Since January of 2021 Arizona felt the impacts of the first official declaration of a water shortage on the Colorado River system known as the “Tier 1 shortage” due to 50% lower than normal snow runoff into the Colorado River. The shortage resulted in a reduction of approximately 30% of the CAP’s delivery supply.

Most of the CAP shortage burden fell on the shoulders of central Arizona agricultural users of CAP water and not municipalities like Oro Valley.

Beginning as early as next year, Arizona may be facing a “Tier 2 shortage” that would further reduce the CAP’s delivery supply.

A “Tier 2 shortage” would not affect Oro Valley’s CAP allocation, but if the Colorado River’s reservoir levels keep falling resulting in a “Tier 3 shortage” the Utility could expect an allocation reduction of approximately 20%.

Very recently the Bureau of Reclamation made statements before the Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources that the need for a quick response and action from across the basin (all Colorado River water users) is required to reduce water use and protect the sustainability of the Colorado River system.

Representatives of all Colorado River water users are working on a plan to achieve water use balance by next year. Once a new Colorado River water use plan is implemented you can read about it in this newsletter.

(Continued on reverse)

1 1 0 0 0 N L A C A Ñ A DA D R I V E | 5 2 0 - 2 2 9 - 5 0 0 0 | OV W AT E R @ O R OVA L L E YAZ . G OV | W W W. O R OVA L L E YAZ . G OV

B E H I N D T H E M E T E R | O R O VA L L E Y W AT E R U T I L I TY N E W S L E T T E R

A MESSAGE FROM OUR DIRECTOR

(Continued from reverse)

FA L L 2 0 2 2

NEW ONLINE UTILITY BILL PA Y M E N T S Y S T E M

Fortunately, Oro Valley is among the most water resilient communities in the Southwest. For over two decades we’ve been planning for water shortages by storing over 25% of our annual CAP water allocation in underground aquifer storage facilities for future use.

Should the Utility experience cuts in our annual CAP water deliveries to the extent that we cannot meet our desired CAP water delivery levels we could begin to recover these stored CAP water supplies so that we do not overuse our groundwater supplies.

Thanks to the planning of the past, the continued investment in our water infrastructure and a conservation minded community, we are prepared to sustain CAP water reductions for decades while we support our growing community and quality of life.

In closing, through the continued good stewardship of our water resources, your Water Utility is well positioned to successfully provide continuous water service to our current and future residents even during challenging times.

Please keep in mind that WaterSmart is separate from the new billing system.

Looking forward,

Peter Abraham

If you would like to login to your current account or register on WaterSmart for high water use and leak alerts, please visit orovalley.watersmart.com

Peter A. Abraham, P.E. Water Utility Director

YOU DON’T

HAVE TO GO

FAR

TO SAVE WATER

Oro Valley Water Utility has implemented a new customer information and billing system. This new technology provides a better customer experience and allows you a convenient way to access your account information and billing options. For your billing and account information go to orovalleyaz.gov and click on Water Utility.

Fall is a great time to enjoy your outdoor space and some of the biggest water savings can be found right in your own backyard.

Find and repair any leaks in irrigation and don’t forget those seasonal adjustments • Leaks in irrigation can cost you big money and wastewater but they’re not always obvious. Periodically run your irrigation manually to check for water pooling and broken or missing emitters. Use WaterSmart hourly reads to help you determine how much water you’re using when your irrigation runs. You’ll be able to catch irrigation leaks faster. Register or login at orovalley.watersmart.com.

• One of the most common causes of unexpected high water use is related to the timer settings on your irrigation controller. Additional start times and programs set unintentionally can easily double your irrigation water use.

Harvest rainwater • Capture rainwater to supplement your plants and reduce irrigation water needs.

For more information, type “Water Conservation” in the search bar at orovalleyaz.gov.

1 1 0 0 0 N L A C A Ñ A DA D R I V E | 5 2 0 - 2 2 9 - 5 0 0 0 | OV W AT E R @ O R OVA L L E YAZ . G OV | W W W. O R OVA L L E YAZ . G OV