Large quantity water users.
Tucson Code § 27-20
in effectSec. 27-20. Large quantity water users.
(a) A large quantity water user may not connect to the city public water system or use city water except as provided by this section.
(b) Application to become a large quantity water user.
(1) An applicant must submit to the director a sustainable water service application, which must include a water conservation plan, if any of the following apply:
a. An applicant will be a new customer, and the applicant's projection of the applicant's water use, as reviewed by the director, equals or exceeds ten thousand (10,000) centum cubic feet ("ccf" with each “ccf” being seven hundred forty-eight (748) gallons) per month average annual use.
b. An applicant is an existing customer and requests water-meter upsizing that will allow for water use that equals or exceeds ten thousand (10,000) ccf per month average annual use at a premises or location.
c. An applicant is an existing customer whose water use equals or exceeds ten thousand (10,000) ccf per month average annual use and requests water-meter upsizing.
(2) For undeveloped property, a sustainable water service application must be submitted at the time the applicant submits for any development entitlements. An applicant who will become or is a large quantity water user on previously developed property must submit a sustainable water service application at the time the applicant requests water-meter upsizing.
(3) The sustainable water service application must identify the phasing of construction or development, the approximate number and size of the structures to be served, a reasonable description of the nature and type of water use proposed on the property, and a reasonable estimate of the projected annual, monthly, and daily water demand.
(4) The water conservation plan must include techniques and technologies that will reduce the consumption of water, reduce the loss or waste of water, improve the efficiency in the use of water, or establish use of reclaimed water by the large quantity water user. The techniques and technologies identified in the plan need to have direct benefit to the hydrologic system within the Tucson Basin.
(5) If the location is within one mile of the Tucson Water Reclaimed Water Distribution System, the water conservation plan shall include information about the cost of a connection to the reclaimed water distribution system and about the suitability of reclaimed water for use at the facility.
(6) The water service application and water conservation plan are public records, subject to disclosure under the Arizona Public Records Law, A.R.S. Section 39-121, et seq.
(c) City review of sustainable water service applications and water conservation plans.
(1) The director will review properly completed sustainable water service applications and water conservation plans. The director may require additional information to be submitted as the director deems necessary, and the applicant must submit any additional information requested within sixty (60) days of receiving the request.
(2) The director will schedule the water service application and water conservation plan for consideration by the City of Tucson Mayor and Council as a numbered item on a mayor and council regular session within two months after reviewing the following elements of the water service application and water conservation plan and determining that these elements have been completely and correctly addressed by the applicant:
a. That the sustainable water service application and water conservation plan demonstrate that the large quantity water user will undertake to use water as efficiently as is practicable and to ensure that water is not wasted. In determining whether water will be used as efficiently as is practicable, the director will consider if the applicant's facility is existing and the practicability of retrofitting the existing facility with water conserving technologies and practices.
b. That the proposed water use is consistent with the city's available water resources.
c. That the applicant's water use would be of sufficient economic benefit to warrant the large quantity use of water. In reviewing this element, the Director must determine whether the applicant's water use would be consistent with the strategies outlined in the City's Climate Action Plan ("Tucson Resilient Together") and the One Water 2100 Plan.
d. That the applicant has agreed to use reclaimed water to offset at least thirty percent (30%) of its water use or such other percentage as the director determines is the maximum use of reclaimed water that is warranted for the applicant's facility, given the facility's proximity to the reclaimed water system.
e. That the proposed water use will support a key industry consistent with the city's economic development and education strategic plan.
f. That the impact of the water use is consistent with the city's designation of assured water supply under A.R.S. Section 45-476.
g. That the applicant has proposed extraordinary conservation techniques and technologies in the water conservation plan.
h. Whether the applicant will convey or assign to the city all legal rights to a physical water supply that will fully offset the applicant's projected water use, which water supply, when assigned to the city, will meet all requirements of A.R.S. Section 45-476, and the regulations adopted by the Arizona Department of Water Resources (DWR) to implement that section.
i. The applicant's technical, financial, and managerial competence to implement the elements of an application and conservation plan.
j. Any other information the director deems relevant.
(d) Mayor and Council Approval of Water Service Application and Water Conservation Plans.
(1) The mayor and council shall consider whether a water service application and water conservation plan meet the criteria established above in subsection 27-20(c)(2). The mayor and council may approve, deny, or return a water service application and water conservation plan for submission of additional information to the director. A mayor and council-approved water service application and water conservation plan will be signed and executed by the applicant and the city and will be a binding water service contract.
(e) A large quantity water user who becomes a customer of the city is subject to all terms and conditions of service as specified by this section. As a term and condition of continued water service for a large quantity water user, both of the following must occur:
(1) A large quantity water user must submit an updated water conservation plan to the director every five (5) years.
(2) The director determines, after consultation with the City's Chief Relience Officer, that the updated water conservation plan demonstrates that the large quantity water user will use water as efficiently as is practicable and ensure that water is not wasted.
(f) Terms and conditions of service for large quantity water users.
(1) In addition to the other terms and conditions of water service as specified by this chapter, the following are terms and conditions of service of a large quantity water user:
a. The large quantity water user may not in any year use water in excess of one hundred twenty percent (120%) of the amount set out in the applicant's water service application and water conservation plan, as approved and adopted by the mayor and council.
b. The large quantity water user must implement, operate, and maintain all use of reclaimed water, techniques, and technologies consistent with the large quantity water user's most recently approved water conservation plan.
(2) In addition to any other sanction available under this chapter, the director may suspend water service to a large quantity water user who violates this subsection. The director will provide notice of any discontinuation of water service, which may be reviewed under Section 27-50 of the Tucson City Code. If water service is suspended under this subsection, the water service will not be restored until the large quantity water user has come into compliance with the requirements of this subsection.
(Ord. No. 12188, § 3, 8-19-25)
Source: City of Tucson, Tucson Code (Charter and General Ordinances) and Unified Development Code (American Legal Publishing, codelibrary.amlegal.com)URL: https://codelibrary.amlegal.com/codes/tucson/latest/tucson_az/0-0-0-20181Fetched: 10/28/2026