Arizona Water Conservation Factsheet: Small Community Water Systems

June 22, 2026
Arizona Water Conservation Factsheets
,
4 pp.
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Water Resources Research Center
,
Tucson, AZ
Attachments
Small Community Water Systems (pdf)
Arizona Water Conservation Factsheet: Small Community Water Systems cover page

Arizona's small community water systems (SCWS) are the backbone of rural water delivery, and voluntary conservation by these systems is critical to regional groundwater sustainability.

This factsheet is intended for operators, managers, and governing boards of small potable water providers, small municipal utilities, water districts, small water companies, and Tribally operated systems.¹,² It focuses on providers outside of Active Management Areas (AMAs) and small providers inside AMAs, where conservation programs are voluntary.3 Low-cost water conservation strategies with documented water savings are highlighted.

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) defines a small public water system under the Safe Drinking Water Act as a system serving 10,000 or fewer customers. This factsheet adopts this definition; however, the Arizona Department of Water Resources (ADWR) defines small community water systems (SCWS) as serving fewer than 1,851 residents. EPA, ADWR, and the Arizona Department of Environmental Quality (ADEQ) all define community water systems for regulatory purposes as those systems serving at least 15 service connections or at least 25 year-round residents in the system’s service area. Some strategies and resources in this factsheet may apply to smaller systems (fewer than 1,851 residents Continue reading.

Resources

Ground Penetrating Radar (GPR): A non-destructive method for detecting water pipe leaks, capable of mapping underground utilities and distinguishing different pipe materials.

Pounds per Square Inch (PSI): The standard unit of measurement for water pressure in distribution systems. 

Pressure Zones: Areas where water pressure is maintained within a set range in a water system with differences in elevation and system demand.

Return on Investment (ROI): A measure of the financial benefit of an investment relative to its cost. 

Tribal Sovereignty: The inherent right of Tribal nations to govern themselves and manage their own resources, including water. 

Water Infrastructure Finance Authority of Arizona (WIFA): The state agency that administers Arizona's drinking water and water supply revolving funds, including the DWSRF and WSDRF, as well as water conservation education grants. WIFA is the primary state funding mechanism for small CWS capital improvements.

Water Supply Development Revolving Fund (WSDRF): A WIFA-administered funding program that supports source development and conservation project capital costs for Arizona water systems, including small rural CWS outside AMAs.

Xeriscape: An environmentally-friendly form of landscaping that uses a variety of indigenous and drought-tolerant plants, shrubs and ground cover. 

Many free technical assistance resources and funding programs are available to support small community water systems in Arizona:

UA Cooperative Extension Water WiseFree xeriscape plant guides, water efficiency workshops, and regional water-saving advice
U.S. EPA WaterSenseProduct certification, rebate finder, and water efficiency calculators
Technical assistance for conservation and demand management strategies, outdoor water budgeting tools, conservation guidance for non-AMA areas
Arizona Department of Environmental Quality (ADEQ) Greywater GuidanceArizona greywater rules, permitted uses, and free design guidance
Indian Health Service (IHS)Technical and infrastructure assistance for Tribal community water systems
WIFA — Drinking Water State Revolving Fund (DWSRF)Well development, storage, distribution, and metering infrastructure upgrades for public water systems
WIFA — Water Supply Development Revolving Fund (WSDRF)Financial assistance for source development and conservation project capital costs
WIFA — Water Conservation Education GrantsWater use education and conservation research; community incentives for rainwater harvesting, graywater systems, and turf removal; drought-resistant landscaping and turf removal programs; infrastructure efficiency upgrades; groundwater recharge and aquifer health projects; groundwater storage facilities; and programs to reduce structural water overuse. (A.R.S. § 49-1332)
Bureau of Reclamation: WaterSMARTFinancial assistance for water and energy efficiency projects, small-scale water efficiency projects, and more
American Water Works AssociationTechnical assistance, free water audit software, special resources for small systems
Alliance for Water EfficiencyConservation Tracking Tool for municipalities, technical assistance, financing sustainable water guides, and more
Lincoln Land Institute Growing Water Smart ProgramWorkshops to strategize water conservation and land-use-planning
Water – Use It Wisely (WUIW)A community awareness campaign that focuses on changing habits to impact savings on water consumption
Rural Community Assistance Partnership (RCAP) Network of non-profit groups which provide technical assistance, training materials, and resources for rural communities 

 

  1. Arizona Department of Water Resources (ADWR). (2026). Arizona community water systems database. https://www.azwater.gov/cws
  2. U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). (n.d.). Safe Drinking Water Act. https://www.epa.gov/sdwa
  3. Arizona Department of Water Resources (ADWR). (2021). System water plan guidance. https://www.azwater.gov/sites/default/files/media/SystemWaterPlanGuidance_Final_03092021.pdf
  4. Indian Health Service (IHS). (n.d.). Sanitation facilities construction program. https://www.ihs.gov/dsfc/ 
  5. Arizona Office of Economic Opportunity (OEO). (2024). Arizona population projections. https://population.az.gov/population-projections
  6. ADWR. (2026). Active Management Areas and Irrigation Non-Expansion Areas [Map]. Arizona Department of Water Resources. https://www.azwater.gov/ama/active-management-area-overview
  7. US EPA. (2024). SDWA Data Download Summary—Public Water Systems [Map]. ECHO EPA. https://echo.epa.gov/tools/data-downloads/sdwa-download-summary
  8. American Water Works Association (AWWA). (n.d.). Free water audit software. https://www.awwa.org/toolbox/free-water-audit-software/
  9. U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). (n.d.). About WaterSense. https://www.epa.gov/watersense/about-watersense
  10. Rural Community Assistance Partnership (RCAP). (n.d.). Asset management for small drinking water and wastewater systems. https://www.rcap.org/managerialfinancialhub/asset-management/
  11. University of Arizona Cooperative Extension. (n.d.). Water Wise program. https://waterwise.arizona.edu/
  12. American Water Works Association (AWWA). (2021). Benchmarking performance indicators for water and wastewater utilities. https://www.awwa.org/Publications/AWWA-Store/Products/Benchmarking-Performance-Indicators
  13. City of Sierra Vista. (2022). Water conservation & drought management plan (2022–2030). https://www.sierravistaaz.gov/city-departments/public-works/environmental-division/water-conservation/
  14. Native American Rights Fund (NARF). (2025). Indian water rights 101. https://narf.org/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/indian-water-rights-101.pdf