City of Tucson

Tucson Water Department
P.O. Box 27210
Tucson, AZ 85726-7210
(520) 791-2666

Director: Jeff Biggs

Tucson Water has been the municipal provider for the City of Tucson and surrounding areas since 1900. The utility currently serves approximately 700,000 citizens in a 300-square mile metropolitan service area, providing potable water to about 80 percent of the population of greater Tucson. In 2005, the utility provided more than 127,000 acre-feet of potable water to customers. The potable water system includes more than 4,300 miles of mains, more than 40 covered storage reservoirs, and represents a community investment of more than $1 billion.

Tucson Water also operates a distributed reclaimed water system which serves approximately 700 customers with tertiary treated wastewater for irrigation and industrial cooling. In 2005, the utility delivered approximately 12,000 acre-feet of reclaimed water to golf courses, parks, school yards, commercial complexes and residential properties.

Tucson Water’s mission is to provide high quality water and service in a cost efficient, safe and environmentally-sustainable manner. One of the largest challenges facing the utility is the necessity to move to renewable resources while minimizing costs to keep water an affordable commodity.

Tucson Water is a department of the City of Tucson, but it operates as an Enterprise Fund, relying entirely on water-related revenues and water bonds to fund an annual operating budget of approximately $100 million and an annual Capital Improvement Program of approximately $50 million.

Planning and maintaining a highly secure water system is also an important focus at Tucson Water. The utility is a leader in water system and water quality security and is involved in water security planning at a national level.

For more information, visit tucsonaz.gov.