Predicting outdoor water conservation potential for single family residences in the High School Wash Watershed, Tucson, Arizona/

Abstract

Large potential water savings are available by reducing outdoor residential water use. The traditional system for determining outdoor water use does not distinguish between landscape irrigation water use and other exterior water uses. Studies in Tucson, Arizona have shown approximately 86 percent of outdoor water is used to irrigate plants. This study determined landscape irrigation water use from metered water use records for single-family residences in the High School Wash Watershed in Tucson. A model was developed for predicting water use from an inventory of residential landscape plants and irrigation techniques. Statistical tests were used to determine how well the model would predict landscape irrigation water use. In addition, four recommendations for water conservation were made based on the results of mail and field surveys. Implementation of the four recommendations showed an estimated average total water savings of almost 12 percent.