Defining water terminology

The water world is complex, diverse, and deep in terminology, which can confuse anyone who isn’t submerged in it regularly. When discussing anything about water – water quality, water sources and supplies, water management and policies, and the quality and delivery of your water – you are bound to run into acronyms and some words and phrases that sound foreign in regular conversations. So, we’re here to help translate.

Our AMWUA Water Glossary aims to provide clear and understandable definitions of many commonly used water terms to help everyone better understand and participate in Arizona water discussions. We hope it provides insight and understanding into terminology you can use when talking and reading about water in our State.

Here are a few examples of how the AMWUA Water Glossary is helpful:

WATER SOURCES
It’s important to note that each AMWUA city has diverse water supplies to best serve its residents and commercial customers. Having more than one water source  creates a more robust and reliable water supply for our communities. That also benefits the Valley's economy by ensuring a more sustainable way of life for everyone in the desert. 

Arizona has four critical sources of water: 

Surface Water: Waters that are generally found in springs, streams, rivers, lakes and ponds, in natural channels above ground.  The Salt and Verde Rivers serve the AMWUA cities through the Salt River Project.  

Colorado River Water: Water from the main stem of the Colorado River. Arizona shares the Colorado River with California, Nevada, New Mexico, Utah, Wyoming, Colorado, and Mexico. This surface water is regulated by the Federal Government.

Groundwater: Water under the earth’s surface that fills the pore spaces between soil particles and fractured rock.

Recycled Water: Water sent down the drain that is treated to a very high quality to extend and expand its reuse. The term is used to convey the value of this water as an essential supply. Advanced Water Purification (AWP) is an advanced technology and process used to treat and purify recycled water to drinking water standards.

WATER MEASUREMENTS
Understanding water news or reports can be challenging, given the different measurements  used. For example, we have feet, kilometers, and miles for distance, and water is also measured by varying units depending on the context.

Acre-foot: A water quantity measurement equal to 325,851 gallons (enough to cover one acre of land in water one foot deep).  In Arizona, it is typically enough water for three single-family homes during a year.

Gallons Per Capita Per Day (GPCD): The average quantity of water each person uses in one day. ADWR sets GPCD targets for water providers in the five AMAs.

WATER AGENCIES 
Agencies regulate all aspects of water in Arizona, but they are often referred to only by their acronyms.

ADEQ (Arizona Department of Environmental Quality): The state agency responsible for oversight, regulation, and enforcement of Arizona’s water quality regulations. ADEQ regulates groundwater, surface water, and recycled water.

ADWR (Arizona Dept of Water Resources): The state agency, created in 1980 by the Groundwater Management Act, designated to implement the State’s water laws. ADWR oversees Arizona’s water supplies and supports statewide and local water planning efforts.

Water Infrastructure Finance Authority of Arizona (WIFA): WIFA is a State Agency that provides financing assistance for the construction, rehabilitation, and/or improvement of drinking water, wastewater, wastewater reclamation, and other water infrastructure projects. In 2022, the Legislature greatly expanded WIFA's authority to include augmentation and appropriated over $1 billion to the agency. 

WATER POLICIES AND LAWS
In Arizona, we hear important acronyms for laws, policies, and programs that have been put in place to regulate and manage water across the State and beyond.

Assured Water Supply Program (AWS): A set of consumer protection regulations that apply within the five AMAs based on the principle of “water first, then development.” Before a developer can sell subdivision lots, they must meet the Assured Water Supply criteria, including having access to enough water to last 100 years. The AWS Program is the basis for Arizona’s long-term sustainable growth. 

Groundwater Management Act (GMA): Enacted by the Legislature in 1980 to address the State’s problem of groundwater depletion.

While we continue to dig deeper into water-related things weekly with our AMWUA Blog , we encourage you to sign up for our blog to learn more about critical water issues, local water management strategies, water innovation projects, and conservation. We hope the water glossary provides a simple and more clearly defined look at important terminology and acronyms used when talking about water in Arizona. We acknowledge that the world of water is far from simple, so we recommend you keep our glossary on hand for the next time you discuss water, which we hope is often. After all, water plays a vital role in our collective long-term sustainability and continued prosperity here in Arizona.

For additional water terminology, ADWR has compiled a Primer on Water Terminology  regarding the Colorado River.

For 55 years, the Arizona Municipal Water Users Association has worked to protect our member cities’ ability to provide their communities with assured, safe, and sustainable water supplies. For more water information, visit www.amwua.org .