12 Aug. 21 - Sept. 3, 2010 Water from Page 1
“Chandler uses reclaimed water to fi ll and maintain lakes,” Capps says. “Lakes and turf areas play important roles in using our reclaimed water. Lakes act as a reservoir, storing water until it is needed for irrigation. Reclaimed water used to irrigate grassy areas allows the city to have large open recreational areas with the added benefi t of using a recycled resource.”
From wastewater to landscapes Capps says effl uent water is wastewater that is collected from homes and businesses, which undergoes a highly advanced treatment process.
“The treatment process makes the reclaimed water safe to use for irrigating golf courses, common area and roadside landscaping.”
The city provides the treated water for a wide variety of private and public needs, says Ray Dubois, water distribution superintendent for the City of Chandler. “There are 12 lakes currently using City of Chandler reclaimed water. Three are golf courses and the rest are homeowner association communities,” he says. “Additionally, we provide reclaimed water to Veterans Oasis Park and more than 2,200 acres of turf and ground cover throughout the southeast portion of the city to homeowner associations, commercial sites, golf courses, churches, parks, city right of ways and as many as 15 or more entry water feature fountains.” Due to the ongoing focus on conserving water, Capps says his offi ce does receive calls from concerned citizens who are curious about where all the community water originates.
“We stress that reclaimed water is a vital component of Chandler’s water conservation effort. Chandler has developed a state-of-the-art system that is making good use of this resource rather than letting it go down the drain for good. Residents can recognize when reclaimed water is used by the purple signs, pipes, valve boxes and sprinkler heads.”
The city’s water supply comes from many diverse sources, Capps says. STSN photo by Gordon Murray
EFFLUENT: This concrete aeration basin, left, at the Airport Water Reclamation Facility, is filled with wastewater that is being processed into reclaimed or effluent water to be used on golf courses, HOA landscaping, water features, fountains and lakes in Southern Chandler.
Community
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“Chandler receives surface water from the Salt River, Verde River, Colorado River and groundwater through a series of city-owned wells. Both the surface water and groundwater is treated to drinking water standards and delivered through a water distribution system of underground pipes to homes and businesses within Chandler.”
Citizen conservation For city residents looking for ways to conserve water
while keeping lawns looking nice, the solution is as easy as turning off the sprinkler sooner rather than later.
“Most landscapes are over-watered, some by 100 percent or more,” says Cathy Rymer, water conservation coordinator for the City of Chandler. “This means that irrigation can usually be reduced while still maintaining a lush-looking landscape.” Rymer says the City of Chandler offers a wide variety of classes, rebates and information that are designed to help residents use water more wisely. “A number of free resources are available from the city including brochures on plant choices and landscaping, turf care, removal of turf and when and how to water landscapes,” Rymer says. “These can be downloaded from the water conservation website or emailed directly to Chandler utility customers. “Also, the city offers advice on how much and how often to water and can prepare a water budget which will show any savings potential.” For more, visit
chandleraz.gov/water. For long-term research and conservation strategies for Arizona, check out ASU’s Decision Center for a Desert City website at
www.dcdc.asu.edu.
Alison Stanton is a freelance writer who lives in the East Valley. She can be reached at Alison@
SanTanSun.com.
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