WATER SUPPLY SOURCES

The City of Peoria has invested in four distinct water supplies: Salt River Project (SRP), Central Arizona Project (CAP), groundwater, and reclaimed water. Therefore, when one water supply is experiencing below-normal water levels, the City has three other supplies it can rely upon to provide water to its customers. In 2004, SRP delivered approximately 31% of Peoria’s water supply from its reservoirs on the Salt and Verde Rivers through the Arizona Canal. Nearly 48% of Peoria’s water was supplied from the Colorado River via the 336-mile long CAP canal, which starts in Lake Havasu (see map on page 10). Approximately 21% of the City’s water supply came from groundwater. This groundwater use is offset by recharge of renewable surface water supplies.

2004 Water Supply

Both surface water systems (Salt/Verde and Colorado River) have experienced significant drought conditions for the past five consecutive years. However, conditions have improved over the last six months because the Southwest has received more precipitation than normal. As a result, short-term drought conditions, such as low soil moisture, have been alleviated in many areas. Although the precipitation was beneficial, we need to carefully evaluate its impact on long-term drought conditions and Peoria’s water supply. While this winter’s rains and snow helped to fill SRP reservoirs and lakes, Colorado River reservoirs such as Lake Mead and Lake Powell are still only approximately half full.

With Peoria’s progressive leadership, the City has planned for decades to meet the challenge of providing customers with a safe, high-quality water supply, even during times of drought. Reclaimed water has been an underused resource that has only begun to play an integral role in Peoria’s water supply.