Page 20 - Green Builder Jan-Feb 2021

Sky’s the limit. Most of Arizona’s
green energy effort stems from
solar, as evidenced by installation of
more than two dozen photovoltaic
systems and leasing of city acreage
for solar farms.
CREDIT: ARIZONA DEPARTMENT OF WATER RESOURCES

LARGE MUNICIPALITY HEN IT COMES to living sustainably, Tucson
Tucson, W nation’s second-fastest rate in 2020, and has been in
residents have had a head start on most of the U.S.
for more than a decade. Chalk that up to Arizona’s
rapid population growth — the state had the

Arizona the top five since 2018 and top 10 since 2015, according to the Census
Bureau. The number of Tucson residents, meanwhile, has risen by a
bit more than five percent from 2010-2020, to about 550,000, Census
data shows.
That’s a lot of stress on city resources, and local government has
responded with some of the state’s most stringent water and energy
POPULATION: 548,073 practices. Between population growth and continual drought, water is
precious: Conservation efforts include banning lush lawns in private
For ‘Old Pueblo,’ keeping pace with population yards, which instead must consist of native desert landscaping;
mandatory reclaimed water use in outdoor areas, or watering by
growth means keeping careful track of designated schedule only; no washing and rinsing of sidewalks,
Mother Nature’s gifts. driveways, patios and parking areas with a hose or higher-pressure
device, except for where public health is concerned; and only use of
water cooling systems that circulate water.
In 2019, the city, known locally as “Old Pueblo,” completed an effort
to restore the Santa Cruz River’s flow through downtown Tucson by
diverting treated wastewater into the river line. The recycled water
— as much as 2.8 million gallons daily — also soaks down into the
riverbed and helps recharge its aquifer. “This work is an important
Sustainability building block in Watershed Management Group’s (WMG) 50-year
vision and plan to restore Tucson’s heritage of flowing rivers,” notes
Awards 2021 Lisa Shipek, WMG’s executive director. “Having flow in the Santa
Cruz River downtown provides a daily visual of what a desert river
looks like, which will help open the hearts and minds of the greater

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