Paul Hirt

Insatiable Thirst and a Finite Supply: An Assessment of Municipal Water-Conservation Policy in Greater Phoenix, Arizona, 1980–2007

Th e availability of freshwater for human consumption, agricultural production, economic development, and a variety of ecosystem services is at the forefront of global concerns regarding the sustainable use of natural resources. Worldwide, 70 percent of water is used for agricultural irrigation, while more than one billion people lack adequate water for their essential needs. 1 Water management is complicated by rural migration and rapid growth in dense cities, where supplying water to meet increasing demands is a signifi cant challenge. Much of this urban growth is occurring in relatively arid regions, from the Far East to the American Southwest, necessitating special attention to water policies in desert metropolitan regions. Over the last century, the world has experienced a sixfold increase in water consumption—twice the rate of population growth. 2 Although the