News & Events

News & Events

Water – Use It Wisely Wins Best Community Awareness Campaign

October 22, 2025

In Arizona, water conservation is a winning message. As Arizona residents know well, water conservation is essential to life in our state. Since 1999, Water – Use It Wisely has proudly promoted this message, encouraging residents to save water through simple, everyday actions. Our campaign has remained committed to sharing water-saving tips, educational tools, and community resources for more than …

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Mesa Celebrates Wyland National Water Conservation Win

October 13, 2025

On Wednesday, Sept. 10, Mayor Mark Freeman joined Wyland Foundation President and CEO Steve Creech at Kerr Center for Agriscience. They gathered to honor Mesa’s big win in the Wyland National Mayor’s Challenge for Water Conservation. Mesa earned first place in the 300,000–599,999 population category. It was one of five cities nationwide recognized. This recognition was for achieving the highest …

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Plant of the Month: Wildflowers!

October 6, 2025

Seeds of Spring are Sown in the Fall We’ve never given away a Plant of the Month before—but this time we’re kicking things up a notch with a free wildflower seed packet! Sign up for our monthly newsletter and we’ll mail you seeds to start your own spring bloom. But here’s the catch: you need to plant them NOW. Why …

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Plant of the Month (to NOT Plant): Ryegrass or Winter Grass

September 24, 2025

To Overseed or NOT to Overseed… Most Americans love lush, green lawns, and have shown that they are willing to do whatever it takes to have them. Nowhere is this act of defiance against nature and common sense more obvious than in the Arizona desert, especially in the fall when the ritual of winter grass activities begins! You’ll hear the …

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Soaking Up Knowledge: Phoenix Educators Dive into Water Conservation

September 15, 2025

This past June, educators from around the Phoenix area gathered for four sessions of the “PHX Water Smart Teaching” program. The program consists of interactive workshops designed by the City of Phoenix Water Services Department’s Water Conservation Office to help Phoenix educators bring water conservation education into their classrooms. What is Water Smart Teaching? Water Smart Teaching is not only …

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Fall Planting with ‘Water – Plant It Wisely’

September 4, 2025

The Fall Planting Season is Here! The fall planting season has arrived (really!), and cooler temps make it the perfect time to get your landscape back in shape. Maybe you lost a few plants during the record-hot summer, or maybe you’re ready to swap out high-water-use plants for water-thrifty ones. Either way, fall is the season to dig in! Water …

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Celebrate ‘Planting for Monarchs Month’ in September

August 28, 2025

September is ‘Planting for Monarchs Month’ in Phoenix and it’s a great time to think about what native species to plant this Fall. Planting native species maximizes the bang for our buck – supporting water conservation while building a healthy urban ecosystem – and the monarch butterfly is just one of many species that benefits. The monarch’s multi-generation, 3,000-mile-long migration …

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Plant of the Month: Agaves

August 18, 2025

Agaves are impressive leaf succulents with a wide range of color, texture and size to their rosettes. There are approximately 200 species found throughout the southwest, Mexico, and Central America. The bold rosettes are dramatic accents for the garden that contrast well with the fine texture of desert trees and shrubs. Agaves are some of the most useful desert plants, …

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Trade Your Water-Thirsty Grass for a Xeriscape

August 5, 2025

CONSIDER A CONVERSION Tired of Grass Hassles? Say Hello to Xeriscape! Keeping a lush, green lawn in the low desert is no walk in the park. Grass doesn’t just grow where there’s dirt – you have to water it, feed it, aerate it, mow it, edge it, dethatch it… and repeat. All that effort adds up, especially in our hot, …

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Cultivating Resilience: How Green Stormwater Infrastructure is Transforming Arizona Yards

July 29, 2025

Living in the Sonoran Desert means learning how to do more with less – especially when it comes to water. Among the most impactful of these solutions are green stormwater infrastructure and passive rainwater harvesting. From school campuses in the heart of the city to suburban homes in desert foothills, Arizonans can make every drop count. What is Green Stormwater …

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Plant of the Month: Guayacán

July 14, 2025

Guayacán (Guaiacum coulteri) is a resilient desert shrub, highly tolerant of heat and drought, and prized for its striking deep blue-violet blooms in the summer. Discover why this uniquely colored beauty deserves a place in your landscape. Description – What does Guayacán look like? Deep blue-violet, ¾-inch flowers appear sporadically from April to September, clinging tightly to Guayacán’s twisted branches. …

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Five Mistakes That Harm Your Landscape During the Summer

July 7, 2025

Are you looking for ways to help your trees and plants thrive under the intense heat of the desert summer sun? Desert-adapted plants are naturally suited for this climate, but they do require some additional care during the summer months to truly flourish. Many enthusiasts unknowingly make changes that can be detrimental to their trees and plants. Here are five …

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