Glendale City Manager Kevin Phelps has declared a Stage 1 Drought Watch of the city’s Drought Management Plan. During Stage 1, Glendale will target a 5% water-reduction goal at municipal properties. The city is also asking residents and businesses to voluntarily conserve water. There are no mandatory water restrictions for residents and businesses in Stage 1.
Conditions on the Colorado River are worsening due to historic drought, climate change and over-allocation. Since 1985, Glendale has had a robust water conservation program and a professional conservation team. They recently developed a new tagline to encourage residents and businesses to use water wisely for the collective good. The tagline is “Glendale cares about the water we share.”
“Glendale identified this issue several years ago and since then, we have been aggressively storing water for future use,” said City Manager Kevin Phelps. “We understand the seriousness of the situation and our plans, actions and programs reflect our goal of being as drought resilient as possible.”
The city of Glendale’s Drought Management Plan includes five stages. Each stage will have additional water reduction measures that may be implemented by the city manager and city council as a response to changes in water supplies.
“Our city has invested in a diverse water portfolio and in infrastructure, like groundwater wells, which allow us to store water in a variety of places,” said Craig Johnson, Glendale Water Services Director. “Glendale is well positioned to meet its customers’ water needs, but we need to continue to use water wisely.”
Community Corner: Being Water Smart
To promote water efficiency, the city is offering its customers incentives, water assessments and water conservation kits. For more information about Glendale’s free water conservation programs visit: www.glendaleaz.com/waterconservation.
The city also has a dedicated drought webpage, www.glendaleaz.com/drought, where you can find detailed information about the Drought Management Plan, answers to frequently asked questions, and water conservation resources.