Innovative Water Treatment Initiative Aims to Transform Tucson’s Water Supply
Tucson is taking a significant step toward sustainable water management with plans to establish the region’s first facility dedicated to converting wastewater into potable water. This initiative marks a pivotal development in southern Arizona’s approach to water conservation.
The Tucson City Council has given the green light to a proposal that allocates approximately $86 million from the Bureau of Reclamation. This funding will be instrumental in constructing the new facility, which aims to preserve the invaluable Colorado River water resources.
According to Jon Kmiec, Tucson Water Director, the journey began 16 months prior when Tucson Water sought funding for an advanced purification plant on the city’s northwest side. “Already treated water from Pima County Wastewater Reclamation — the recycled water that gets released to the environment, to the Santa Cruz River — [we] take that water and treat it even further,” Kmiec explained.
The facility will employ a three-phase purification process to ensure the water meets drinking standards. This effort is projected to conserve 56,000 acre-feet of Colorado River water over the next decade. Simultaneously, Tucson has an ongoing agreement with the Bureau of Reclamation to leave a portion of its river allocation in the system annually, receiving $20 million in return, a deal that has been extended for another year.
Kmiec noted that the Bureau of Reclamation is supporting such projects to help communities diversify their water sources, reducing dependency on the Colorado River as states prepare for renewed negotiations in 2026.
With planning and design phases slated to proceed in the coming years, the new treatment plant is anticipated to commence operations in the early 2030s, heralding a new era in Tucson’s water management strategy.
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