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
SUMMER 2022
A MESSAGE FROM OUR DIRECTOR Welcome to our Summer issue of “Behind the Meter”. It is an exciting yet challenging time to be a municipal water provider. In addition to managing our water resources to ensure our community’s long-lasting sustainability, the Water Utility is also responsible for ensuring that your drinking water is safe. We’ve learned that water quality is important to our customers as well. In a survey distributed to over 10,000 customers in March, the subject of water quality rose to the top as a topic of interest.
Peter Abraham, P.E. Water Utility Director
To meet the reporting requirements of the Federal Governments Safe Drinking Water Act, this newsletter edition provides our customers with links to the Utility’s 2021 Annual Water Quality Report. We are pleased to report that the water delivered to your home or business meets all safe drinking water standards.
Your drinking water comes from two sources of supply. Those supplies include groundwater which makes up 65% of our drinking water and Colorado River water which makes up the remaining 35% of our drinking water. Groundwater is pumped from deep wells within our service area while Colorado River water is delivered by way canals, pump stations, aquifer recharge, recovery and finally delivered to our service area through four CAP connections throughout our service area. The Utility’s Water Quality professionals collect thousands of water samples throughout this water distribution system every year. Last year the Utility collected 2,704 water quality samples with all water quality analytical results meeting all regulatory requirements. For more detailed information on the Utility’s water resource portfolio and how those resources are utilized to meet the needs of our growing community, please consider reviewing the Utility’s 2022 Annual report that was published in April. In addition to an in-depth discussion on the Utility’s water resources, the Annual Report details all the functions that make delivering a safe reliable water supply to your home or business possible.
To view the Water Utility’s 2022 Annual report, scan the QR code below or visit: http://bit.ly/OVWUReport2022
We will be bringing you more information in our Fall newsletter, until then, have a great Summer! Looking forward,
Peter Abraham Peter A Abraham, P.E. Water Utility Director
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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
YO U R A N N UA L W AT E R Q UA L I TY R E P O RT I S NOW AVAILABLE ONLINE Each year the Oro Valley Water Utility provides customers with an annual water quality report. This report is known as the Consumer Confidence Report and describes how our water quality compares to established federal and state drinking water standards. We encourage you to review this report as it provides important details about the source and quality of the drinking water delivered to your community in 2021. Please visit us online to view or print your Consumer Confidence Report at: https://www.orovalleyaz.gov/ovccr2021.pdf Oro Valley Consumer Confidence Report https://www.orovalleyaz.gov/csccr2021.pdf Countryside Consumer Confidence Report To request a mailed copy, please contact Customer Service at 229-5000.
SUMMER 2022
DID YOU KNOW?
The Water Utility staff reads your water meter remotely, but still needs access to the meter box for meter maintenance, replacement and water shut off during a water emergency. We understand that dirt and debris will naturally collect on the meter box cover. We ask that customers do not intentionally install landscape rock, soil, landscape plants and other materials directly over the meter box.
N AV I G AT I N G YO U R I R R I G AT I O N The decision of how much water to give your landscape plants can be a little confusing. There are many factors that contribute to the amount of water your plants need - the type of plant, soil, and weather are just a few aspects that play an important role. Are all your outdoor plants on one irrigation zone? During irrigation, trees may require 3 times as much water to effectively wet the root zone as compared to smaller plants. As a result, some plants may be overwatered while some are underwatered. The right size and number of emitters can help you meet the needs of various plants on the same zone. Place plants with similar watering requirements such as trees on a separate zone for a more efficient choice. Use watering and plant guidelines specific to our region to help you make those decisions. Keep in mind they are only guidelines, and adjustments may be required depending on your situation and season. • C hoose native and low water use plants for your yard and limit water-thirsty plants • Make seasonal adjustments to your irrigation schedule • Reduce water waste by not overwatering your plants and fix irrigation leaks Water Use It Wisely, Landscape Watering by the Numbers
• Visit wateruseitwisely.com for more water saving ideas
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