PHOENIX — As Arizona faces potential cuts to its Colorado River water supply, Phoenix looks to upgrade its irrigation systems to conserve the water it already has.
The city has received a $115,000 water-efficiency grant from TSMC Arizona to upgrade irrigation systems at Madison Park and Los Olivos Park. The upgrades include smart irrigation controllers, master valves and flow sensors that can automatically pause watering during rain events and shut down systems if a mainline breaks.
Phoenix says each skipped irrigation cycle can save about 81,000 gallons of water. The city plans to eventually install the technology at every Phoenix park.
The project comes as Arizona and other Colorado River states work to reach a new agreement for sharing the river's shrinking water supply. Under a proposed federal framework, Arizona could face some of the largest reductions, potentially increasing pressure on cities, businesses and residents to conserve.
TSMC Arizona says it currently recycles about 65% of the water it uses and plans to increase that to 90% once its industrial reclamation water plant is completed, which is expected in 2028.
The city says investments in smart irrigation will help maintain Phoenix's parks while using water more efficiently as long-term Colorado River supplies remain uncertain.
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