Behind the Meter 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

A MESSAGE FROM OUR DIRECTOR Welcome to the Water Utility’s first installment of our new quarterly newsletter—your source for important Peter Abraham, P.E. water information. In each issue you Water Utility Director will read about how the Oro Valley Water Utility contributes to our community’s sustainability by being committed to the ongoing production and delivery of water resources that meet or exceed all water quality standards in a cost-effective, sustainable manner.

SPRING 2021 HOW CAN WE HELP YOU? Today’s Utility customers expect a variety of payment options. We have several payment options available! You can pay online, by phone, mail, automatic withdrawal or in person. To make a payment online: Go to www.orovalleyaz.gov and click on the blue “Payments” button, or click here.

For more information contact Customer Service at 229-5000.

Since the establishment of the Water Utility in 1996, the population we serve has more than doubled. Thanks to our community’s strong conservation ethic and diverse water resource portfolio, the Utility now pumps 56% less groundwater than it did 24 years ago when the Utility was solely reliant on groundwater to meet all of the community’s water resource needs.

In this issue, you will find important water resource, water quality, conservation and customer service information as well as read about some of this year’s Capital Improvement Projects.

In upcoming newsletters, we will share how our water resources are utilized, the Utility’s water shortage preparedness plan and what you can do to help ensure a secure water future for Oro Valley.

Your Water Utility is comprised of 40 dedicated water professionals with expertise in the areas of water operations, conservation, engineering, customer service and administration. It is our privilege to serve you and our community.

Looking forward,

Y our book number and account number are listed at the top of your water bill.

Your book number, account number and PIN number (the last 4 digits of your phone number on file at the Utility) allow you to access our online payment option.

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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

SPRING 2021

B E W AT E R S M A RT If you’ve ever been surprised by a high water bill, you are not alone.

Even the most conscientious water user may miss leaks or accidentally leave the hose running! The WaterSmart Online Portal has helped many of our customers catch leaks faster and manage their water use more effectively. Over 9,600 automated alerts were sent to customers last year!

Sign up online for the WaterSmart Program at orovalley.watersmart.com: • Get high water use notifications and leak alerts

• See your hourly water use in near real-time

• Compare your water use to similar homes

• Also Available to Commercial and Irrigation customers

Water Conservation is an important part of the Utility’s overall water resource management efforts. For questions about our Conservation Program and services we provide, please contact Conservation at 229-5024.

P I M A C O U N T Y D E PA R T M E N T O F E N V I R O N M E N TA L Q UA L I TY G I V E S O R O VA L L E Y W AT E R A T H U M BS U P

CHECK OUT THE W AT E R W I S D O M V I D E O SERIES!

The Pima County Department of Environmental Quality (PCDEQ) conducted a triennial (once every three years) sanitary survey on the Utility’s Production and Distribution infrastructure to ensure conformance with state and federal regulations. No violations were noted, and the Utility received a letter of compliance as well as written praise from the inspector stating the Town’s Water Utility infrastructure was in an excellent state of operation and maintenance.

For more information regarding Water Quality, please click here to visit the Water Quality page on our website.

The first installment of our video series is available.

Save water, save money and check out Locate and Read Your Water Meter. Please click here to watch the video.

C A P I TA L I M P R OV E M E N T P R OJ E CTS Investing in our community’s sustainability

Allied Signal Reservoir replacement The construction of this new reservoir, located in La Reserve, replaces the existing 500,000 gallon reservoir that had reached the end of its service life. This project is slated for completion this spring at a cost of $750,000.

Well Rehabilitation Every year the Utility allocates funding to rehabilitate existing infrastructure.

Perpetual well rehabilitation and maintenance is an important part of the Utility’s Capital Improvement Program and ensures a reliable water system for the Community.

DID YOU KNOW? The Utility has three sources of supply to meet the water resource need of the community. They are: groundwater, Central Arizona Project water and reclaimed water. Groundwater is pumped from the wells in the aquifer below our water service area, blended with the Central Arizona Project water and then delivered through the potable drinking water distribution system.

Reclaimed water is for non-potable uses and is predominantly used for irrigation on golf courses, parks and athletic fields.

The potable drinking water system is completely isolated from the reclaimed water system.

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