Marana, Arizona (KGUN) — Central Arizona Project provides water to more than 700,000 Tucson residents each year.
But how do billions of gallons of water flow from the Colorado River to our homes?
A true engineering marvel. For the Central Arizona Project, from Lake Havasu he pumps water from the Colorado River nearly 3,000 feet away, ultimately leading him to 14 pumping stations that feed homes.
CAP was officially completed in 1993.
“The infrastructure has served its purpose, ensuring that the Colorado River reaches central Arizona,” said Nollie Templeton, planning analyst for CAP.
Templeton said the need for such a system all has to do with the state’s heavy reliance on groundwater.
“The state knew it was overusing groundwater. Groundwater use was not sustainable into the future,” she said. I recognized the
The $4 billion project took 20 years to build, stretches 336 miles from Lake Havasu to the San Xavier Indian Reservation, and delivers water to more than 80 percent of Arizona’s population.
“We deliver water from the Colorado River to Maricopa County, Pinal County, and of course Pima County,” Templeton said.
The process begins at the Mark Wilmer Pumping Station on the Arizona-California border.
“From there, the water is pumped through the mountains into tunnels and then into the CAP aqueduct,” Templeton said.
It is the first of 14 located along the CAP aqueduct.
CAP-AZ
“When water moves through the system, it moves by gravity and requires pump struts to keep it moving,” Templeton added.
She said each city decides how it will provide its residents with allotted water. Tucson receives 44 billion gallons annually.
Tucson’s tap water is a combination of groundwater and Colorado River water.
“Tucson pumps all the water from the Colorado River and pumps it into the groundwater aquifer,” Templeton said. “At that point, they pump up the groundwater formation to deliver the water.”
The impacts of climate change, including the rivers and lakes that more than 6 million Arizonans depend on for water, may make proactive action the key to continued sustainability. I have.
“We are fully aware of the changing climate and additional measures that need to be put in place to ensure our infrastructure continues to function well into the future,” she said.
