We Did It Again! Water – Use It Wisely Wins Best Community Awareness Campaign for 2026

October 27, 2026

Two Years. Two Awards. One Big Reason to Celebrate!

The Best of Arizona Awards recognize sustainability leaders across 44 categories, with winners chosen by community vote.

Some things are worth repeating. Like turning off the faucet while brushing your teeth. Or adjusting your irrigation schedule with the seasons.

And apparently, winning awards! 🎉

We’re thrilled to announce that Water – Use It Wisely has been named Green Living Magazine’s Best Community Awareness Campaign in its 2026 Best of Arizona Awards—for the second year in a row!

Since 1999, Water – Use It Wisely has been helping Arizonans discover simple, practical ways to save water. What began as a water conservation awareness campaign has grown into a statewide collaboration of 23 partners, combining resources, expertise and creativity to make water conservation part of everyday life.

And 27 years later, we’re finding new ways to make that message stick!

A Winning Year for Water Conservation

What does it take to keep water conservation fresh, engaging and relevant after more than two decades? A whole lot of collaboration, creativity and new ideas!

Water – Use It Wisely and its partners spent the past year inspiring water-saving action across Arizona.

Miranda from Goodyear created one of three winning designs in this year’s Water – Use It Wisely sticker contest!

Here are just a few highlights:

  • A newly updated watering guide. We launched Landscape Watering by the Numbers: A Guide for the Arizona Desert, packed with practical, science-based techniques to help residents water their landscapes more efficiently.
  • Free AZ Water-Wise Kits. In partnership with SRP, we’ve been helping households save water with useful tools and simple conservation tips.
  • A little wildflower inspiration. Our Sonoran Desert wildflower seed giveaway encouraged residents to bring more color, beauty and pollinator-friendly plants into their landscapes.
  • Kids Know Better! Our annual fourth-grade sticker contest brought young water conservation champions into the spotlight, sharing creative reminders about saving water.
  • Listening to Arizonans. We conducted a statewide survey to better understand how Arizona residents think about water, their conservation habits and what motivates them to save. The findings will help guide future campaigns and keep our messages relevant and effective.

  • Keeping water conservation front and center. Through advertising campaigns, social media, blogs, newsletters, community events and educational resources, Water – Use It Wisely and its partners continued sharing practical water-saving tips and information with Arizonans throughout the year.

And that’s just a sampling! Behind every campaign, resource and event are partners sharing their expertise, ideas and enthusiasm for helping Arizona use water wisely.

Celebrating Together at the Best of Arizona Awards

On October 9, Water – Use It Wisely partners gathered at The Post in Mesa to accept the award at Green Living Magazine’s Best of Arizona celebration.

It was a wonderful opportunity to celebrate the people and organizations behind the campaign, and to recognize what we can accomplish by working together.

Water – Use It Wisely partners celebrate their second consecutive Best Community Awareness Campaign award at Green Living Magazine’s 2026 Best of Arizona celebration. Photo by Depoy Studios.

 

Twenty-Three Partners. One Shared Message.

Partners pose with the Water – Use It Wisely exhibit at the event.

Here’s something worth celebrating: Water – Use It Wisely isn’t the work of just one organization.

Our partners represent cities, towns and water providers across Arizona. We serve different communities, face different challenges and bring different perspectives to the table.

But we share one goal: Helping people understand the value of water and discover practical ways to use it wisely.

By pooling our resources, knowledge and creativity, we can reach more people and accomplish more together than any one organization could alone.

A heartfelt thank-you to all 23 Water – Use It Wisely partners for the dedication, collaboration and ideas that make this campaign possible.

And a special shoutout to HAPI, our agency partner, for helping turn those ideas into engaging campaigns and resources that connect with Arizonans.

Dorie Morales, publisher of Green Living Magazine, and Mesa Mayor Mark Freeman pose in The Post’s outdoor Neon Garden, where electric vehicles were also on display as part of the celebration.

Thank You, Green Living Magazine!

We’re grateful to Green Living Magazine for recognizing the organizations, businesses, and individuals making a difference in Arizona’s sustainability efforts.

Now in its fifth year, the Best of Arizona Awards celebrate sustainability in action across 44 categories, from eco-friendly businesses and innovative organizations to community leaders making a difference. Finalists are selected through a nomination process, and the public votes to choose the winners.

That makes being named Best Community Awareness Campaign for the second year in a row especially meaningful!

While we’re proud of this recognition, the real reward is helping more Arizonans discover simple ways to save water—at home, in their landscapes and throughout their communities.

Explore Green Living Magazine’s “Best Of” Arizona Edition.

Want to see who else is making a difference? Check out the 2026 Best of Arizona edition.

Look for Water – Use It Wisely on these pages:

  • Page 3: Our water conservation campaign ad
  • Page 25: Our “Best Of” Community Awareness Campaign recognition

Here’s to another year of great ideas, strong partnerships and using water wisely! 💧

Looking for inspiration? Explore 100+ water-saving tips, landscape guides, plant resources and more at WaterUseItWisely.com.

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