NORTH CENTRAL ARIZONA WATER DEMAND STUDY Phase I Report

The North Central Arizona Water Demand Study (Phase I) assesses water demand and supply for 15 non-reservation communities on the Coconino Plateau. In 2000, total demand was approximately 5,842 million gallons, with potable water accounting for 80% and reclaimed wastewater for 16%. The report highlights a significant reliance on groundwater, often from deep and costly wells, and the critical role of wastewater reclamation in communities like Tusayan, where it meets 40% of demand. It identifies a wide disparity in conservation efforts, with Flagstaff having the most extensive program and Page lacking a serious initiative. The document concludes by proposing a Phase II forecasting methodology that uses population projections and water-use models to create baseline, moderate, and aggressive conservation scenarios.

• In 2000, the total water demand for the study area was approximately 5,842.4 million gallons (17,930 acre-feet), consisting of 80% potable demand, 16% reclaimed wastewater, and 4% raw water.
• Water demand is highly seasonal due to tourism and irrigation, with peak summer demand typically 1.5 to 2.5 times higher than winter demand; this is more extreme in Page (4 times) and Tusayan (3 times).
• Groundwater is the primary source for most communities, but drilling is expensive and risky due to extreme depths, reaching over 3,000 feet in Williams, Valle, and Tusayan.
• Wastewater reclamation is a significant supply source, providing 16% of total regional demand and serving as a primary supply in six communities, most notably Tusayan where it meets 40% of total demand.
• Rainwater harvesting provides a notable potable supply at the Grand Canyon airport in Tusayan, meeting 6% of the community's total water demand.
• Water efficiency and conservation programs vary greatly; Flagstaff has the most extensive program, while Page is noted for not having implemented a serious program despite concerns over future growth.
• High water prices often act as a conservation tool by default due to the high cost of supply, but only Doney Park Water, Flagstaff, and Kachina Village have effective conservation rate structures.
• The authors express reservations about the 1999 ADWR water demand estimates, noting they may underestimate 2000 demand by 10% to 24% and lack documented methodology.
• The proposed Phase II forecasting methodology will use a 'per account' basis tied to population projections from the Arizona Department of Economic Security (ADES).
• Phase II will develop three demand scenarios: Baseline (current efforts), Moderate conservation and alternative supply investment, and Aggressive conservation and alternative supply investment.

APA

Pinkham, R., & Davis, B. (2002). NORTH CENTRAL ARIZONA WATER DEMAND STUDY Phase I Report. RMI. https://rmi.org/app/uploads/2017/05/RMI_Document_Repository_Public-Reprts_W02-18_AZWaterDemandStudy.pdf

Chicago

Pinkham, Richard, and Bill Davis. NORTH CENTRAL ARIZONA WATER DEMAND STUDY Phase I Report. RMI, 2002. https://rmi.org/app/uploads/2017/05/RMI_Document_Repository_Public-Reprts_W02-18_AZWaterDemandStudy.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |last1=Pinkham |first1=Richard |last2=Davis |first2=Bill |title=NORTH CENTRAL ARIZONA WATER DEMAND STUDY Phase I Report |publisher=RMI |date=June 2002 |url=https://rmi.org/app/uploads/2017/05/RMI_Document_Repository_Public-Reprts_W02-18_AZWaterDemandStudy.pdf |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{pinkham2002north, author = {Pinkham, Richard and Davis, Bill}, title = {{NORTH CENTRAL ARIZONA WATER DEMAND STUDY Phase I Report}}, institution = {RMI}, year = {2002}, month = jun, url = {https://rmi.org/app/uploads/2017/05/RMI_Document_Repository_Public-Reprts_W02-18_AZWaterDemandStudy.pdf}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }