Wigman Resort, Phoenix, photo by Dan Dickinson, licensed under Creative Commons
An AP story that made the rounds yesterday pointed out that Phoenix set an all-time water consumption record during last weekend’s heat wave:
Water Services Department spokesman David Cerull tells radio station KJZZ that homeowners used most of the water.
He says demand generally goes up when it gets hot and that people water their yards more for fear of plants dying. He adds that residents with pools use more water because of increased evaporation.
When Phoenix residents face the inevitable alternative – give up their lawns and pools, or abandon their homes – this current consumptive reality means they’ve got a lot of savings left to squeeze out of their water budget. Is their profligate lawn-and-pool lifestyle thus an advantage?
Having resisted the urge to write something snarky, two points: The Wigwam is not in Phoenix (although it may get its water from Phoenix for all I know) and many of the lawns in Phoenix are not watered with City of Phoenix water, but rather Salt River Project water.