At a recent meeting, the Scottsdale City Council unanimously approved the “Scottsdale Water Strategic Plan 2025-2030.” This plan includes a strategy to combat drought by introducing recycled wastewater to homes by 2027. The council passed the plan without a formal presentation, highlighting the implementation of Advanced Purified Recycled Water on a system-wide basis.
Mayor David Ortega and council members have expressed their confidence in the program, developed over several years by Brian Biesemeyer, executive director of Scottsdale Water. As Scottsdale’s allotment of Colorado River water faces reductions in 2027, the plan is crucial to maintaining a stable drinking water supply. If successful, Scottsdale will be the first city in Arizona to implement direct potable reuse on a broad scale.
The wastewater treatment facility in North Scottsdale is prepared for this next phase, with recycled water already being stored. Another key goal is to increase the city’s well recovery capacity by 5 million gallons daily by 2029, allowing access to stored groundwater in the event of surface water shortages.
While state approval is still needed, the plan is a significant step towards integrating purified wastewater into the city’s drinking water system.
