2007 starts a new year and a new century for Phoenix tap water customers. That’s right, the city of Phoenix’s Water Services Department is celebrating its centennial: 100 Years: A Century of Superior Water Services.

Phoenix purchased its first private water company in 1907. The city immediately began making improvements to the system by digging wells and adding water lines and pumps. Wastewater operations began a few years later.

At one time, surface water from the Verde River was delivered through a 30-mile long redwood pipeline. Since then, Phoenix has opened five water treatment plants, with a sixth coming online later this year. Two wastewater treatment plants and a water reclamation plant have followed as have almost 7,000 miles of water lines under the streets of Phoenix and more than four million tests and measurements each year to make sure Phoenix tap water meets or exceeds a multitude of water quality and safety regulations. The department now serves more than 1.5 million tap water customers in Phoenix and two million wastewater customers throughout the Valley. And, the city has ensured a reliable tap water supply by using several sources of surface water, groundwater and reclaimed water.

According to Phoenix Mayor Phil Gordon, “Tap water is one of the most reliable things in our lives and is very inexpensive compared to other services. We think about water for drinking and landscaping and pools, but that same water is used to protect lives and property from fire; for sporting activities like figure skating and ice hockey; as well as for use in hospitals and industrial processes. Clean tap water is essential for almost every facet of life and 1,400 people in Phoenix Water Services work hard every day to make our lives possible and easier.”

Councilman Claude Mattox, chairman of the city's Land Use, Environment and Natural Resources Subcommittee, adds: "Water is critical to our future, both in quantity and quality. The city of Phoenix has been focused on this for 100 years, and we are now planning for the next 100 years." He also stated, "The thousands of employees who have served in Phoenix water and wastewater should be recognized for their great work to bring us to where we are today. I'm proud to work with them."

As Phoenix Water Services enters its second 100 years, enhancements will focus on customer services, ensuring our future water supply, technology, the environment, maintaining aging water and wastewater lines and treatment plants, increased regulatory compliance and security. Public awareness programs asking customers to use water responsibly, cease placing grease down the drain and pay bills online will continue, as will efforts to attract talented workers to the industry.

According to Phoenix Water Services Director Tammy Perkins, “Our future is bright and our commitment to our customers will continue as we do things that most people don’t think about, like read meters accurately; inspect sewer lines for blockages; send highly treated wastewater to golf courses, parks, crops and the Palo Verde Nuclear Plant to save on drinking water; teach children about water conservation; and spend our customers’ money wisely.”

For more information about Phoenix tap water visit phoenix.gov/waterservices and watch WATERways on PHX 11.