Information and Graphic Courtesy of the City of Peoria
Following the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation’s declaration of Tier 1 Colorado River water shortage on Monday, August 16, it is important that Peoria residents have the facts about our city and the water shortage.
The city of Peoria has a long history of exceptional water management and, over the last 25 years, has made significant investments to safeguard our community from drought and shortage conditions.
Peoria takes a proactive and long-range approach when it comes to planning for its water supply. This includes planning and preparing for droughts and other scenarios that impact our renewable surface water supplies from the Colorado, Salt and Verde Rivers. These preparations touch all aspects of water resources, from diversifying and enhancing supplies to promoting conservation and building new infrastructure.
Peoria’s water supply is not impacted in these early stages. Peoria has prepared for drought conditions in Arizona for many years and has plans in place if the shortage levels on the Colorado River continue to worsen. In fact, only 34% of Peoria’s water supply is directly from the Colorado River and Central Arizona Project (CAP) Canal.
Also, the city only uses 61% of its available CAP supply and the rest is stored underground for later use. To date, Peoria has stored more than 180,000 acre-feet of water underground. An acre-foot of water serves an average of three homes per year, and the amount that Peoria has banked for our community is approximately five years of Peoria’s total water demand.
As a desert community, we must remain good stewards of our water supply. With a focus on sustainability, smart growth, and long term planning, Peoria has created a diverse water portfolio that is safe and secure.
To learn about Peoria’s preparedness and robust water supply, visit peoriaaz.gov/droughtready.
Peoria offers sustainable workshops, rebates and more to help residents reduce their water use. Learn more at peoriaaz.gov/preserveconserve.
