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Valley Cities Join Forces

Ten cities have one message for you: low-water-use plants save water. The municipalities of Avondale, Chandler, Gilbert, Glendale, Goodyear, Mesa, Peoria, Phoenix, Scottsdale, and Tempe have banded together to provide an online guide to water conserving plants. The guide depicts plants that defy conventional expectations for drought tolerant plants.

The new, interactive resource is an extension of the popular booklet Landscape Plants for
the Arizona Desert, now in its third printing. Both the printed and online publications catalog
over 200 plants that are inviting and sustainable. All plants listed are on the Arizona Department
of Water Resources “Low Water Use Plant List,” devised to address water conservation needs in
Arizona.

The new, online guide displays plant specifics, full-color photos, and the ability to search
for plants for a variety of landscape situations; sun exposure, flower color, flower season, and
bird, butterfly or hummingbird attractors. “Many of these plants may not be familiar to home or
business owners,” recounts Steve Olson, Arizona Municipal Water Users Association Water
Executive Director. “The water conservation benefits of low-water-use plants are well-know.
Their beauty can come as a surprise.”

The guide features plants that thrive while creating a rich planting palette, colorful
displays, pest and disease resistance, minimal care, and convey a unique sense of place. These
desert hardy plants are well-suited to the salty water, sandy-clay soils, and temperature range that
define the Valley of the Sun.

Written by local experts, the publication offers low-water-use plants that are relevant to
the life style, aesthetic and water conservation considerations for our valley. The new online
guide and a listing of sources for the free printed booklet are available at www.amwua.org.

Mediation, an artist designed outdoor classroom, received a Crescordia Award at the Valley Forward Association’s 28th Annual Environmental Excellence Award Ceremony on September 6th.  The Crescordia is the highest award given by Valley Forward for public art.

Mediation was designed by colab Studio of Tempe.  The outdoor classroom is part of the Glendale Xeriscape Demonstration Garden.  The project was a partnership with the city’s Water Conservation Office and Public Arts.  The Demonstration Garden features over 400 species of low-water-use plants.  Children and adults visit the garden and the outdoor classroom to learn about the beauty and importance of the Sonoran desert.  The outdoor classroom was recognized for its modern and functional architecture intertwined with the existing natural landscape.

Partnership Will Promote Simple Ways to Save Water, Energy

The City of Mesa Utilities Department has agreed to participate in a federal Environmental Protection Agency program that promotes water-efficient products. The program, WaterSense, aims to provide a national brand, designating water-efficient products that are about 20 percent more efficient than average products.

“Through this partnership with WaterSense, the City of Mesa solidifies its commitment to protecting water resources through efficient use,” said Utilities Conservation Specialist Janet Bunchman. “By promoting water-saving products to over 460,000 customers, we hope it will help consumers conserve water and reduce costs on their utility bill.”

The EPA program is designed to decrease indoor and outdoor water use through high efficiency products and simple water saving practices. The program helps customers identify water efficient products in the marketplace that have been independently certified for efficiency and performance and promotes water saving techniques that reduce stress on water systems and the environment.

The program is similar to the agency’s Energy Star program, which provides a brand logo for energy-efficient appliances. Certified products may bear the WaterSense label, which makes it easy for consumers to identify and select a variety of quality, high efficiency products and services for their homes and lawns.

“Here in Arizona, it is important to save water because it is such a precious resource,” Bunchman said. “A great deal of energy is expended heating and cooling water. By saving water we are saving energy too.”

For more information on WaterSense, including a full list of labeled water-efficient products and irrigation certification programs, visit epa.gov/watersense or cityofmesa.org/utilities.