By Haley Paul, Gilbert Water Conservation Specialist
During the month of September, with all those rains, you took notice! Our water production data indicates that Gilbert residents and businesses did an amazing job of responding to the rainfall by reducing outdoor water use.
It’s rare in the world of water conservation to see drastic decreases in water use in a short amount of time. We’ve seen a steady decrease in household water use over the years, with the implementation of new indoor technology such as water efficient toilets, showerheads, and clothes washers. However, to see real-time water conservation responses is a rare treat indeed.
After the September 7th and 8th flooding rain event, you responded by reducing your total water consumption by 20 million gallons… a day. You kept those controllers off too, and the savings persisted for about a week.
Then, with all the predictions that Hurricane Odile was going to drop another whopper on us, you anticipated the rain and proactively shut your controllers off. Production dropped from an average of 42 million gallons a day the few days preceding the storm, to an average of 37 million gallons a day—a savings of about 5 million gallons of water a day. Even though that storm didn’t deliver the anticipated rainfall, a lot of you figured you could keep those controllers off given the cloudiness and moisture that remained in your soil from the previous storm.
The final story in this water production data picture is that when it rained again on September 27th, you overwhelmingly responded. Water production dropped even lower, from an average of 43 million gallons a day preceding that rain event to an average of 35 million gallons per day. Another bulk water savings, this time of 8 million gallons of water a day.
In total, all that amounts to a cumulative water savings of 239,052,000 gallons for the month of September, or an 18 percent drop in water demand from last September.
This is a testament to your keen eye on conservation. You care. It matters. We can continue to improve on this trend by doing things such as adjusting our controllers monthly, checking for leaks inside and outside the home, and paying attention tohow much water we should be putting out on the landscape.
All of your individual actions add up to collective water savings.
The majority of water use is outdoors. That’s why we focus on it so much here in the monthly blogs. If you are bamboozled by your watering system, give us a call (480-503-6098) or email and we can set up a time to go through your system with you and offer you tips for savings.
If you ever want to see how much rain fell near your house, visit rainlog.org. If 0.5 or more inches of rain fell near you, that’s your cue to turn off the controller. When you can no longer easily stick a long screwdriver 8 inches into the soil, that’s when you will want to turn your controller back on.
Thanks for helping to do your part to save water here in Gilbert!

Gilbert, Arizona has received yet another recognition as one of the best places to live in the country.  Time’s Money Magazine has ranked Gilbert as the 22nd Most Livable Small City in America. The study reviewed 781 cities with populations between 50,000 to 300,000, comparing factors ranging from the local economy and housing market to schools and healthcare.  Gilbert was the only Arizona city to make the list. The average population of the 50 cities recognized is 87,500, with only two cities, including Gilbert, with populations over 200,000. The study also shows that, of the top 50 cities, Gilbert holds the 4th lowest average property taxes.

“We are honored to receive this recognition from Money Magazine,” says Gilbert Mayor John Lewis. “For a community of Gilbert’s size to be recognized as one of the most livable is an incredible achievement and is a reflection of our great residents, businesses, and schools.”

This week is Arizona’s 13th Annual Cities & Towns Week. It’s a week to celebrate and appreciate the work of Arizona’s 91 municipalities. Cities and towns work everyday to ensure safety, protection, well-being, convenience and enrichment for all  those who live, work and play in their communities.

Check out these awesome posters celebrating Arizona Cities & Towns Week!

Lake Havasu City: 

Glendale: 

 Mesa: 

Cottonwood: 

When you woke up this morning, you probably took a shower, set out your recycling bin or drove to work on a safely paved street with working stop lights. Maybe this afternoon you’ll hit up a town park to enjoy this beautiful weather with your kids or check out a book at the city library. This evening, you can sleep assured knowing that police, fire and safety services would be there if you needed them.

Cities and towns are always working, from sun up to sun down, to ensure safety, protection, well-being, convenience and enrichment for all citizens to live, work and play. To celebrate the great things cities and towns do, Arizona will be celebrating its 13th Annual Cities and Towns Week, October 19 – 25!

Arizona Cities and Towns Week is set aside each year to provide citizens with important information about the services and programs provided by their city/town, and to introduce the employees that deliver them.

Arizona has 91 cities and towns, ranging from the large city of Phoenix with a population of 1.4 million, to the small town of Winkelman at 353 residents. 79 percent of Arizona’s residents reside in a city or town and these municipalities are vitally important to Arizona’s economy. In fact, 83 percent of Arizona’s workforce lives in a city or town and 93 percent of the state’s sales tax proceeds are produced within a municipality.

Many of Arizona’s cities and towns are celebrating this week through a variety of community events, proclamations and outreach to residents. Contact your local city or town to find out how you can celebrate with them!

For more information on Arizona Cities & Towns Week and a toolkit with ideas for participation, click here.

Fire Prevention Week takes place during October 5-11, and during this time cities and towns in Arizona are dedicated to educating the public about fire safety. During Fire Prevention Week professionals devote their time to teaching the public about the causes of fire, how to prevent this from happening, and how to be prepared in case of an emergency.

The National Fire Protection Association has designed Fire Prevention Week to be useful for all ages. In 1871 a huge Chicago fire killed more than 250 people and left 100,000 citizens without homes. This tragedy is the reason that Fire Prevention Week exists, and this week continues to raise awareness to our communities.

Nearly all of Arizona’s cities and towns are holding events to participate in and recognize National Fire Prevention Week.

The city of Tucson has been talking with citizens all week, teaching them the importance of smoke alarms. Here is a clip of Captain Barrett Baker of the Tucson Fire Department on a local news station, discussing how to check smoke alarms: http://www.jrn.com/kgun9/shows/the-morning-blend/video/tucsonfiredepartment-278479661.html

The city of Tempe has been holding workshops at the Tempe Public Library to teach citizens how to install fire detectors and have storytimes for children to learn about fire safety. In addition, the Tempe Fire Medical Rescue Department will be having a special event on Saturday, Oct. 18 at the Tempe Fire Training Center. For more info, click here: http://www.tempe.gov/Home/Components/News/News/3108/

The city of Avondale and many other valley cities also held open houses at their fire stations, so the community could visit with firefighters, see the fire trucks and learn about the importance of preventing fires.

Fire Prevention Week is designed to make our communities safer. It is important to continue spreading awareness and providing our community with the useful information they need to continue being educated and prepared.  Find an upcoming event or training in a city or town near you or visit the National Fire Protection Association to brush up on your fire safety tips.

The summer months are winding down and many cities and towns are savoring their summer successes. Thanks to a new Splash Park, the town of Thatcher can now count itself among them.

From May through September, Arizona’s children are out of school, families are looking for recreational opportunities and city parks, pools and playgrounds are in full swing.

The town of Thatcher recognized a need for more recreational opportunities in its town and began a plan, five years ago, to create a new recreational facility. The park, which opened just in time for this summer, features the town’s first splash pad – and the only splash pad in all of Graham County.

Courtesy Photo – Eastern Arizona Courier

Located just off of Ball Park Street in Thatcher, the recreational facility includes basketball courts, picnic ramadas, barbecues, new restrooms, sand volleyball courts and a playground. The $750,000 facility was constructed with help from a  $200,000 community development block grant.

Residents and community members came out to enjoy the amenities of the new park, and children spent the summer splashing around on the new splash pad.

Splash parks have become a new trend in municipal parks, especially in cities and towns in Arizona where summer temperatures soar past 100 degrees and children need a recreational activity that keeps them cool. Splash pads provide benefits that pools can’t – they cost less to maintain and use less water and they are safer for children to use, as their lack of standing water helps to prevent drownings. In addition, the town of Thatcher’s splash playground has the added benefit of being water-conservation friendly. A system within the splash pad allows for continuous water reuse, as most of the water is eventually recycled through a sand filter.

As the temperatures drop and cities brace for fall programs, the town of Thatcher can count itself among the summer success stories.

Avondale is a city full of great people who deserve a round of applause. Recently, two individuals who work for the city were recognized for their outstanding service and dedication to the Avondale community.

Avondale Fire Chief Paul Adams was inducted into the Arizona Fire Service Hall of Fame.

Established in1998, the Arizona Hall of Fame recognizes individuals who have made a significant, positive contribution to the fire service and their community and which brings credit to the fire service. Individuals nominated are evaluated based on their years of service, service on committees, state and national impact, educational impact, operational impact, contributions to community, organizational impact, legislative impact or other areas that clearly demonstrate the individuals contribution to Arizona’s Fire Service.

The honor was presented during the opening ceremony of the 41^st annual Arizona Fire School. Paul Adams presently serves as Fire Chief for the City of Avondale, Arizona, a position he has held since November of 1996.  His illustrious career began in his home state of Nebraska, as a fire volunteer in 1969.  A career dedicated to service in the fire service eventually brought him to Arizona, when he was hired as Avondale Fire Chief.

This week, Avondale City Clerk Carmen Martinez, earned the prestigious designation of Master Municipal Clerk (MCC).  MMC is awarded by the International Institute of Municipal Clerks, Inc., which grants the designation only to those municiopal clerks to complete demanding education requirements and who have a record of significant contributions to their local government, community and state. Carmen Martinez, Avondale’s City Clerk, has earned the prestigious designation of Master Municipal Clerk, or MMC, which is awarded by the International Institute of Municipal Clerks, Inc. (IIMC).

“Carmen Martinez has worked hard to achieve this designation and it is a testament to the caliber of professionals we are fortunate to have in Avondale,” said Avondale City Manager, David Fitzhugh.

Carmen Martinez is qualified by over 16 years of municipal clerk experience.   She has served City of Avondale since 2002.

Congratulations, Chief Adams and Carmen Martinez!

Arizona’s cities and towns are constantly working to ensure the safety of their citizens. To continue their focus on safety, especially for those younger citizens, many cities and towns in Arizona will be participating in the nationwide Child Passenger Safety Week.

Child Passenger Safety Week will be held September 14-20 in an effort to inform parents and caregivers of the proper safety measures that need to be taken when transporting children.

Car crashes are a leading cause of death for children ages 1-13. These incidents can many times be prevented with the proper use of car seats, booster seats and seat belts. Saturday, Sept. 14 is “Seat Check Saturday,” a national day devoted to ensuring children’s car seats are properly installed.

The Surprise Police and Fire-Medical Departments will be hosting two child safety seat clinics to provide information on the different types of child passenger safety seats and educate the public on proper installation of the seats. The city’s clinics will be held on Tuesday, Sept. 16 and Saturday, Sept. 20 from 8:30 – 11:30 a.m. at Surprise Fire Station #305. For more information, visit www.surpriseaz.gov/carseat.

Other cities and towns host regular car seat checks. The City of Chandler will be holding a car seat clinic each Saturday in September. The City of Buckeye, City of Mesa , City of Scottsdale and City of Sierra Vista are just a few others who regularly hold free car seat checks.

To find an upcoming seat check event near you, visit www.azgohs.gov or contact your local city or town.

When the Town of Queen Creek was first incorporated on September 5, 1989, it was an area with rich rural roots. 25 years later, those rural roots helped Queen Creek turn into one of the most innovative and family friendly home towns in Arizona. And now it’s time to celebrate!

2014 marks the 25^th anniversary of the Town of Queen Creek! The town will host a Founders’ Day event on September 26 to commemorate Queen Creek’s 25 years as an incorporated town.

To help celebrate this exciting time, residents are encouraged to submit photos to the town. These photos may be used for a booklet cataloging the celebration or may be used at other anniversary celebrations or within the town’s social media.

All photos may be submitted here: photo submission.

Queen Creek has been celebrating its 25^th year with special events, fun contests, one-of-a-kind Queen Creek keepsakes and grand openings of new amenities. The town has opened the Communiversity, Pocket Park for Pups and Spash Pad! The town will also break ground this year on a new Harkins Theater and begin to renovate many of its streets and town infrastructure to make its community an even better place to live.

It’s been a great anniversary year for Queen Creek so far, we can’t wait for the fun activities to continue!

August means back to school for most students in the community, so families get busier than usual. But as Arizona residents’ schedules fill, it’s important that we all take a moment to remember proper safety around pools.

Arizona’s high child drowning rate is a tragedy only avoided by constant supervision and regular community awareness campaigns, said Surprise Mayor Sharon Wolcott at the August 8 City Council meeting.

For this reason, Surprise has joined Phoenix Children’s Hospital’s collaborative statewide effort—Drowning Impact Awareness Month.

Wolcott proclaimed August as Drowning Impact Awareness Month in Surprise. She added, “Through the hard work of advocates across the state to educate and raise awareness, more and more people are taking action to prevent tragedy.”

The goal of this important awareness month is to encourage safety around water and promote awareness.

It’s an important way to remember that “drownings are preventable,” said Mayor Wolcott.

The Surprise Police and Fire Departments offer Community Life Safety Education events such as Water Safety day featuring free CPR training, swim lesson assessments and water safety tips.

The month-long effort also promotes the use of purple ribbons to remember those touched by child drowning.

“I encourage everyone to request and distribute ribbons through the Surprise Fire Department’s website at www.surpriseaz.gov as we partner with Phoenix children’s Hospital,” Wolcott said.

Ribbons are also available at Surprise City Hall, the Community and Recreation Services offices and the Surprise Regional Library.

Enjoy the last weeks of summer and remember to stay safe!