Scottsdale Water highlights how every drop counts through water reuse
Scottsdale Water is sharing a closer look at how the city safely cleans and reuses water—turning what goes down the drain into a valuable, sustainable resource that supports the community every day.
For decades, Scottsdale has been a leader in water recycling, using advanced treatment processes and regional partnerships to make the most of its water supply in the desert.
“Water is too important in Arizona to use just once,” said David Walby, Scottsdale Water interim senior director. “Our system is designed so that every drop is treated, reused, and put back to work for our community in safe and meaningful ways.”
Local reuse in southern Scottsdale
In southern Scottsdale, water is treated at the Gainey Ranch Water Reclamation Facility and reused right in the community. This reclaimed water helps irrigate golf courses and landscaped areas.
Some additional water is sent through a regional system to Phoenix, where it is treated and reused for important purposes like power generation and supporting local wetlands.
Advanced treatment at the Scottsdale Water Campus
In central and northern Scottsdale, wastewater flows to the Scottsdale Water Campus, where it undergoes a highly advanced cleaning process. The result is “Class A+” reclaimed water—the highest quality available for reuse.
Each day, about 20 million gallons of this water are reused to irrigate 23 golf courses and city parks. Another portion is further purified using advanced technologies such as ozonation, ultrafiltration, reverse osmosis and ultraviolet photolysis before being returned underground to replenish the aquifer.
A natural journey back to your tap
This underground recharge process—known as indirect potable reuse—allows the purified water to move naturally through the aquifer over time. After about 10 years, the water is pumped back out, treated again, blended with other supplies, and delivered to customers.
“People are often surprised to learn that Scottsdale has been safely using purified recycled water as part of its drinking water supply for decades,” Walby said. “It’s a proven, science-based approach that helps stretch our water resources without compromising quality.”
Looking ahead: Exploring faster, safe water recycling
Scottsdale is also evaluating a potential next step in water reuse: Advanced Water Purification. This approach would involve additional treatment processes that could allow purified water to be introduced more directly into the city’s drinking water system in the future.
While today’s process relies on years of natural underground filtration, this type of system could potentially reduce that timeline to less than a day, while still meeting strict safety standards and blending the water with other sources such as Colorado River supplies and groundwater.
“Advanced water purification is one option we’re exploring as we plan for the future,” Walby added. “It builds on what we already do well and could provide another city-controlled, drought-resilient tool to help ensure Scottsdale has a strong and reliable water supply for generations to come.”
A sustainable water future
Through innovation, investment, and regional collaboration, Scottsdale Water continues to lead in water stewardship—ensuring a reliable supply while protecting the environment.