Where does Tucson get its drinking water?

Tucson gets its drinking water from two main sources: surface water and groundwater.

Surface water comes from the Santa Cruz River, the Pantano Wash, and the Cienega Creek. These sources provide about 40% of Tucson's drinking water. The water is stored in reservoirs and then treated at water treatment plants before being distributed to homes and businesses.

Groundwater comes from aquifers beneath the Tucson basin. These aquifers are filled with water that has been stored underground for thousands of years. Groundwater provides about 60% of Tucson's drinking water. The water is pumped from wells and then treated at water treatment plants before being distributed to homes and businesses.

In addition to these two main sources, Tucson also gets a small amount of its drinking water from reclaimed wastewater. Reclaimed wastewater is treated wastewater that is safe for use in irrigation and other non-potable purposes. Tucson uses reclaimed wastewater to irrigate parks, golf courses, and other landscaping.