AMWUA Blog
Dirty Secrets: Backyard Composting Among Cities’ Free Landscape Classes
AMWUA cities offer more than 70 free landscape classes throughout the year to help you grow a more beautiful yard with less water. Local experts introduce you to a wide variety of desert plants and how to use them to design shady and colorful spaces that attract birds and butterflies. Topics also include how to select, plant and nurture trees, how much and when to water, how to grow vegetables and...
Jul 31 2017
Pure Brew: Campaign Promotes Future Source Of Drinking WaterA couple dozen Arizona craft breweries will bring their beers to Phoenix in September to vie for a professional judge’s choice award and a people's choice award. Here's why this particular beer competition is big news: The competing brewers are making their beers with purified recycled wastewater for the ...
Jul 24 2017
5 Trees To Shade Your DesertIt's the time of year when many homeowners are tired of the glare from their windows and are thinking about adding more shade to their yards. The beautiful combination of cactus, succulents and desert-adapted flowering shrubs are unique to our communities, but trees give height and width to a landscape. In the desert summer, trees also help to cool a home's windows and walls and keep its air condi...
Jul 17 2017
On The Job: Phoenix Team Protects Miles Of Water LinesThe City of Phoenix has 6,922 miles of water lines and 4,865 miles of sewer lines buried about four feet under our feet. It wouldn’t be hard for a contractor digging a pool in someone’s backyard or a crew widening a street to hit and damage one of those lines. It’s Tammie Burkett’s job to make sure they don’t....
Jul 10 2017
Study: Conservation Reduces The Cost Of Your Water ServicesWater conservation has been a bedrock element of water management in Arizona for the last several decades. Water conservation is built into our communities where summer highs remain above 100 degrees and rain is a rare blessing. We conserve to stretch water supplies, assure a sound economic future for our grandkids, and keep our environment healthy. Yet, when water rates are increased, I am often...
Jul 03 2017
Inside Job: Water Efficiency A Fixture In City BuildingsCentral Arizona's desert cities offer rebates, outdoor water audits, videos, free publications and landscape classes to help customers use water more efficiently outdoors. Cities also lead by example, creating beautiful, well-kept and efficiently watered landscapes around their public buildings and in their parks....
Jun 19 2017
Desert Adapting: Five Common Summer Landscape MistakesSo you’re looking at your trees and plants baking in the desert summer sun and you’re beginning to feel just a little sorry for them. Save your sympathy. Desert-adapted plants are built for this weather and will do just fine. Adjustments do need to be made to their care during the summer, but many homeowners and businesses make adjustments that harm – not help – their trees, grass and plants. Cons...
Jun 19 2017
Desert Adapting: Five Common Summer Landscape MistakesSo you’re looking at your trees and plants baking in the desert summer sun and you’re beginning to feel just a little sorry for them. Save your sympathy. Desert-adapted plants are built for this weather and will do just fine. Adjustments do need to be made to their care during the summer, but many homeowners and businesses make adjustments that harm – not help – their trees, grass and plants. Cons...
Jun 12 2017
Get To Work: How To Qualify For A Job In WaterSkilled people who treat and distribute drinking water and collect and treat wastewater are retiring at a high rate. Jobs are opening up in Arizona’s small towns and big cities. It takes smart, ambitious and persistent job seekers to get started in these public health jobs. Utilities will hire people who trained just after high school and those who opt to change careers. Cities have hired veterans...
Jun 05 2017
2017 Legislative Session: Four Things That Went Right For WaterSo far 2017 has been a good year for water. The Southwest had a rainy winter, an official shortage of Colorado River water appears delayed another year, and there was broad support for water issues at the Arizona Legislature. The Arizona Department of Water Resources, ...