Highlights
- Phoenix Aviation saved 22 million gallons per year by updating airport cooling towers at Sky Harbor.
- The city's cash-for-grass program pays homeowners $2 per square foot for removing at least 250 square feet of turf.
- Smart leak detection devices installed at the Fillmore Gardens senior housing complex flag toilet leaks for on-site crews.
- Free water efficiency consultations are available to Phoenix residents through the Water Department.
Phoenix is deploying its own municipal infrastructure as a demonstration project for the water conservation behavior it wants from residents, Vice Mayor Kesha Hodge Washington told KTAR News 92.3 FM.
The city's Aviation Department replaced over 11 acres of nonfunctional grass with drought-tolerant landscaping, saving 5 million gallons annually, according to KTAR. The department also updated airport cooling towers at Sky Harbor International Airport, saving 22 million gallons each year. Hodge Washington described the towers as more efficient and smaller, adding that the city can recycle water through the coolers more efficiently with fewer chemicals. About 1,600 low-flow toilets were installed across public-facing and administrative areas at the airport; Hodge Washington said the fixtures use 20% less water than standard ones.
The Public Works Department installed low-flow toilets in downtown Phoenix public buildings and parks, saving more than 7 million gallons annually, and removed grass around City Hall while retrofitting cooling towers on city property for a combined savings of 29 million gallons a year.
More recently, Phoenix installed smart leak technology on toilets at its Fillmore Gardens senior public housing complex. The devices flag potential leaks so maintenance crews can repair them quickly.
How can Phoenix homeowners get paid to remove grass?
Phoenix runs a cash-for-grass program that pays homeowners $2 per square foot of grass removal when they replace a minimum of 250 square feet. The Water Department also offers free on-site water efficiency consultations through which a specialist assesses how a household can reduce consumption.
The Water Department is accepting consultation requests now; the cash-for-grass program is ongoing.
Sources
Every factual claim in this article traces to one of the sources below. See how we work for the editorial process.
- ktar.com retrieved 03/06/2026 12:36
Authored by The Scottsdale Signal. Drafted by AI from primary-source material under our beat-specific editorial guides; reviewed by humans before publish under our five-gate process. Sources retrieved at 03/06/2026 12:36. Every claim traces to a source.
