Water Conservation

LA’s ‘Spongy’ Infrastructure Captured Almost 9 Billion Gallons of Water
The city is turning away from stormwater management practices that shuttle water to the ocean, building infrastructure that collects and directs it underground instead.

Beverly Hills Installs First ‘Green Street’
A three-block median featuring native plants and bioswales is part of the city’s broader effort to reduce water consumption and pollution.

Texas Reservoirs Reach Dangerous Lows
In some parts of the state, water officials have cut off releases that maintain estuaries and other key coastal habitats.

‘Green Roads for Water’ Meshes Transportation With Water Conservation
Simple, sometimes ancient designs can transform roadways into environmental conservation tools.

Gila River Canal Project Pairs Water Conservation With Solar Energy
Local leaders view the first solar panel-covered water canal in the Western Hemisphere as a ‘major win’ for Indigenous water sovereignty.

Zoning Driving Housing Costs, Water Consumption in Arizona
Regulations that prohibit multifamily housing and smaller lot sizes contribute to a growing gulf between housing supply and demand.

West Texas Growth Prompts Water Supply Concerns
Small desert communities are looking for ways to conserve water as their tourist and resident populations grow.

California Agency Awards $38 Million for Turf Replacement
The grant funds grass replacement rebates for commercial and residential properties and water-saving devices for fire stations.

Wet Summer Pulls California Out of Drought
The entire state is drought-free for the first time in years.

Arizona Town Looks for New Water Sources, Insists Development ‘Full Steam Ahead’
While many Southwest cities are looking for ways to conserve water and limit growth as water supplies become strained, one town is pressing ahead with rapid development.

‘Tempe Tomorrow’ Plans for Expected Population Growth
Tempe planners are preparing a General Plan update scheduled for voter approval in March 2024.

A Model for Wastewater Recycling in San Francisco
Decentralized wastewater recycling systems take water conservation a step further by reducing the need for external infrastructure and keeping water recycling and reuse -in-house.’

Southwest Coming to Grips With Water Crisis
Will banning lawns and limiting water use be enough as new communities continue to sprout up across the drying west?

The New Colorado River Deal: An Explainer
According to one analyst, the agreement approved by the states doesn’t go nearly far enough to protect the river in the long term.

States Reach Consensus on Colorado River Deal
The seven states along the Colorado River basin are in agreement over proposed water cuts over the next three years to preserve dangerously low reservoirs.

Lower Basin States Closer to Agreement on Colorado River
After a year of contentious negotiations, Western states dependent on the river’s water supply are nearing a deal that would reduce water use significantly over the next three years.

Opinion: The Time for ‘Yard Reform’ is Now
Replacing lawns with native plants and grasses saves water and improves biodiversity, but some cities make the practice illegal.

Can Southwest Utah’s Water Supply Handle its Explosive Growth?
A remote corner of the state is the nation’s fastest-growing metro area, but concerns about water supplies across the Southwest signal an uncertain future.

California Rejects Six-State Colorado River Plan, Proposes Its Own
State officials claim a proposal agreed upon by the other six states using Colorado River water disproportionately impacts California farmers.

Arizona Governor Takes Steps to Modernize Water Policy
A newly released report warns of rapidly dwindling groundwater resources as developers plan to build hundreds of thousands of new homes.
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