GPH 314
Water Research Project
Joel Stauffer

Over 70% of the Earth’s surface is covered in water, yet in the 21st century the people who roam this majestic planet are finding themselves in a situation facing water scarcity. Water tops the charts for one of the most poorly managed resources in the United States. This is especially taking place in the southwest region of the country where drought has been an ongoing issue. Drought creates an extremely strong demand for water that our government has yet figured out how to manage correctly. The average American uses 176 gallons of water per day (water info). This number is insane considering the rate is continually going up, but there are several solutions to this ongoing problem of wasting our water. I currently live in Ahwatukee, which is a small suburb just out of Phoenix on the south side of South Mountain. Ahwatukee currently is home to 77,249 residents and continues to grow every year (Ahwatukee real estate). This means that over 13,500,000 gallons of water is used every day in this community alone. There is one main water source that supplies this community with its water. The primary source for this area is the river systems surrounding it. The Salt River, Colorado River and Verde River all help provide water to Ahwatukee. The Arizona government and other agencies like SRP and Arizona Wildlife Management help maintain these rivers by constructing dams that create hydroelectricity. This water is then transferred into canals that run thru all parts of Phoenix distributing water to residences on the way, one being Ahwatukee. Although Ahwatukee is home to more than 75,000 residents it is primarily nothing but neighborhoods and grocery stores. This means that the only sectors affecting water demand is domestic use and agriculture. Water is mainly used in the form of domestic use because there are no big industrial companies in Ahwatukee and there is no sector for energy production. Aside from normal water appliances in the households most houses in Ahwatukee have a pool in the backyard which uses a significant amount of water as well. Water is also used in the form of agriculture because there are a few farms and ranches that subside in Ahwatukee as well. These ranches and farms use this water for irrigation purposes and for ecosystem purposes. As I stated above these sectors get their water from canals that run thru the city that have been channeled from 3 major rivers within the state. I have always thought of myself as an eco friendly person and thought I understood how important water resource management truly was. But like most people I had no idea how much water I wasted every day. I go thru 160 gallons of water on average every day. This number amazes me considering how I was raised. My parents were very strict with me growing up on the amount of water I would waste. My dad would time my showers to make sure I did not go over the five minute mark otherwise he would turn off the hot water. My father knew the importance of water demand because his best friend worked for the Salt River Project or SRP. Yet I never grasped the true understanding of how important water usage was until high school when I began going on hunting trips. This may seem like an awkward way to come to a realization but let me explain. After going on a couple hunts I witnessed how important water is to the environment and the animals that live within it. In years with little rain the actions of the animals completely change the plants lack subsidy. Now being 21 years old I would consider my water usage still to a little wasteful at times. I still catch myself taking showers way longer than needed and I will also catch myself leaving my shower on to heat up. Aside from my showers I think I do a pretty decent job of efficiently managing my water usage on a day to day basis. There are a few things that I could do though to effectively manage water better. Instead of having real grass I could