The Arizona Department of Water Resources (ADWR) is required, by law, to regulate water use by a turf related facility- if they have 10 or more acres of turf and/or lakes (i.e. water-intensive landscape)- and create a water-use allotment for the turf related facility. *Turf-related facilities include cemeteries, golf courses, parks, schools or common areas within a housing development that have 10 or more acres of turf and/or lakes. (*Third Management Plan, written pursuant to Arizona Revised Statutes. § 45-566 (C)).

The water-use conservation allotment is programmed through the Arizona Department of Water Resources Industrial Conservation Program. phone( 602) 771.8585 for information.

This state program calculates a water allotment based on the acreage of turf, low water use landscaped areas and surface water areas that are submitted to the state by a turf-related facility. The conservation allotment is derived from how much water the facility should be using, based on a water application rate, which varies depending on what the water is being applied to (turf, low water use landscaped areas or surface water- i.e. lakes, fountains, etc.).

All turf related facilities, with 10 or more acres of turf and/or lakes, are required by law to submit to the Arizona Department of Water Resources “documentation of the new acres no later than 90 days after commencing of landscape watering to the new acres or receiving notice of these conservation requirements, whichever is later.” (Third Management Plan, written pursuant to Arizona Revised Statutes. § 45-566 (C), chapter 6, section 6-310).
Making a Facility an Individual User
The Notice of Individual Users Served by a Municipal or Irrigation Provider form can be filled out by the municipality. The form says that, for whatever facility is listed in the boxes on the bottom of the form, the municipality will be supplying them with water. The information in the boxes (facility name, address, contact person) is what ADWR will use to contact the HOA directly to request acreage totals from them.
Further information can be found on the internet:
Arizona Revised Statutes: http://www.azleg.state.az.us/ArizonaRevisedStatutes.asp?Title=45
Third Management Plan, Industrial Chapter: http://www.azwater.gov/dwr/Content/Publications/files/ThirdMgmtPlan/tmp_final/phoenix/ch6-phx.pdf
The phone number for the Arizona Department of Water Resources Industrial Program (which encompasses HOA’s) is (602)-771-8585.

Click here for water conservation tips for HOAs.