Goodyear's Water Sources and Groundwater FAQ's 

The city of Goodyear takes water management very seriously. The city is proactive and has a solid plan to provide residents and businesses with water for generations. The information below answers some of the most common water questions the city receives.

How does the city get water?

The city of Goodyear manages a diverse and resilient water portfolio. This means that it gets water from different sources, which allows for responsible growth. Goodyear utilizes both groundwater and surface water, which are treated and delivered to customers through a vast network of pipes and infrastructure.

• One source is groundwater. The city of Goodyear has been allotted a groundwater allocation by the Arizona Department of Water Resources (ADWR) and is permitted to pump groundwater. The groundwater pumped by the city resides in the West Salt River Valley and not the Hassayampa sub-basin.
• The city also has surface water, which comes from the Colorado River and is delivered by the Central Arizona Project (CAP). Goodyear receives its CAP water allocation and treats it at the Surface Water Treatment Plant (SWTP). The SWTP can produce up to 7.5 million gallons of water a day, and with future expansion, has the ability to produce 16 million gallons.
• Reclaimed water is an important component of Goodyear's water portfolio. The city of Goodyear treats wastewater to the highest quality to produce A+ reclaimed water, the highest class of reclaimed water, which is suitable for many non-potable or non-drinking uses, such as watering grass.
• Additionally, the city actively recharges the aquifer by sending treated effluent to a Soil Aquifer Treatment facility. This provides needed recharged water to the aquifer and stores water underground for future needs.

What will happen if cuts are made to the city’s Colorado River supply?

The Colorado River Basin has been in a prolonged drought and has seen drastic declines as a result of overallocation of water supply. Every water user in all sectors within each Basin state must commit to durable reductions in the future. Goodyear has been preparing for different Colorado River shortage scenarios and will continue to methodically and proactively plan for the future. While water use restrictions are not in place for Goodyear, it’s always smart to use just the water you need. As Arizonans, we need to recognize that with less Colorado River water in the future, water-wise changes in lifestyle can positively impact how our communities manage water.

What is the city doing to get more water?

Goodyear is part of the regional and state efforts to ensure that we have strong and stable water supplies to support long-term sustainable growth. Goodyear continues to look for innovative and attainable solutions that augment our water supplies by:

• Preparing for the worst-case scenario and every scenario in between.
• Analyzing infrastructure needs to ensure water can be moved where needed.
• Optimizing treatment facilities and access to other water supplies.
• Strategically planning to strengthen the reliability and resiliency of diverse water supplies, including analyzing technologies such as Direct Potable Reuse (DPR).
• Expanding conservation programs and customer outreach.

Is there enough water for the city to continue to grow?

The city holds a state issued Designation of Assured Water supply, which guarantees 100 years of water for existing development and committed development. That means, each vacant piece of land in Goodyear has an allocation of projected water. Properly managing water resources and investing in Goodyear’s water future has long been a priority for the city. Goodyear currently has the water resources to sustain existing demands and projected growth identified within our Designation of Assured Water Supply (DAWS).

How can residents help save water?

Goodyear is one of the most water efficient communities in the Valley. Residents on average do very well at efficiently using their water and this helps keep overall demands down, allowing the city greater opportunities in managing growth. Here are three things you can do in your home to help use water more efficiently:

• Water your established desert plants once a week in the summer at night or very early in the morning.
• Check for leaks both inside and outside the home by seeing if your water meter shows movement when you’re not using any water.
• Install a rain-pause device for your irrigation timer to save hundreds of gallons of water.

Explore this page for more water saving tips, including additional water conservation programs, classes and services offered to residents.

Link to Goodyear's Drought Preparedness Plan.

Most of the area north of I-10 is served by Liberty Utilities. See information below for south of the freeway:

• Goodyear utilizes both groundwater and surface water. Wells throughout the city pump water from underneath the ground, while surface water is delivered from the Colorado River to the Water Treatment Facility. Both are treated and delivered it to customers through a vast network of pipes and infrastructure.

Why is my bill high?

Sign up for a Free Home Water Check.

How much water should my household use?

Request a report detailing expected vs actual consumption for your home.

You can also receive a discounted Flume Home Water Monitoring device to keep track. You can get started here.

If you receive a water bill from Liberty Utilities, click here. 

If you receive a water bill from City of Goodyear, your bill covers:

• Energy to pump groundwater hundreds of feet beneath the surface.
• Treatment of the water for naturally occurring contaminants or minerals.
• Delivery of the water through miles of pipes underground to your home.
• Ongoing maintenance of all these systems.
• Management of water resources to ensure long-term security and accessibility.

Hydrant flushing is a normal and necessary practice for maintaining a safe and reliable drinking water supply. Water discharged into the environment for this purpose will soak back into the ground for eventual reuse.

Systematic flushing of fire hydrants in a unidirectional manner is an effective way to accomplish needed cleaning of the water distribution system and can improve both water quality and hydraulics, prolonging the life expectancy of the distribution system. The procedure is considered a best management practice and is commonly used by municipalities nationwide.

Flushing activity is performed in daytime hours not only for staff safety, but also because daylight provides better visibility ensuring all the sediment has been flushed out and the water is running clear.

This is a very common occurrence in the summer months in the Desert Southwest.  Water pipes acclimate (or adjust) to the temperature around them.  As temperatures get higher in the summer, the water pipes absorb heat from the ground around them, and the temperature of the water in the pipes also increases.  Heat also transfers to pipes located in walls and ceilings of homes and commercial structures.  This exposure to additional constant high temperature further increases water temperatures at the tap.  The water will never be "cold" in the summertime because of the consistently high temperatures in the summer months.

For cooler drinking water, fill a container and place it in the refrigerator for a short period of time.  Utilizing a refrigerator with a water spout in the door is another way to serve cooler water year round.