For Immediate Release

11/12/08

Emily Brott, Sonoran Institute, 520-290-0828, ebrott@sonoran.org

Lisa Shipek, Watershed Management Group, 520-396-3266, lisa@watershedmg.org

Diana Rhoades, Ward 1 City Councilor Regina Romero, 520-982-4178, Diana.rhoades@tucsonaz.gov

FREE WATER HARVESTING WORKSHOPS TO BE OFFERED IN TUCSON

A series of free water harvesting workshops will be offered in Tucson beginning this weekend. The hands-on workshops were developed in response to a commercial water harvesting ordinance recently passed by the Tucson Mayor and Council, and will educate participants about different water harvesting techniques they can use at their homes and businesses. Tucson Water estimates that 45 percent of all city water usage is currently used for outdoor purposes.

"Conserving water is critical in the Sonoran Desert," said Tucson City Councilor Regina Romero. "We shouldn't be using our drinking water on our plants. We want to lead by example as a demonstration site for commercial projects."

Councilmember Romero's Ward 1 City Council Office landscape will undergo the water harvesting transformation to test out the new ordinance, create more green space and wildlife habitat, and reduce energy and potable water use. The goal is to meet 50% of the landscaping water budget with rainwater harvesting. Workshops are scheduled at 940 W. Alameda Rd, Tucson, 85745 from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. on the following Saturdays:

• November 15^th— shaping basic earthworks and planting native vegetation Phase I

• December 6^th— shaping basic earthworks and planting native vegetation Phase II

• January 10—installing gutters and rainwater cisterns (tentative)

• January 24^th— integrating rainwater harvesting into parking lot design (tentative)

As the workshops can accommodate only a limited number of participants, an RSVP is required. Contact Lisa Shipek at lisa@watershedmg.org or 520-396-3266. For updates on the workshops, check www.watershedmg.org.

The free workshops are sponsored by the Sonoran Institute through a grant from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. The Sonoran Institute’s mission is to inspire and enable community decisions and public policies that respect the land and people of western North America. Trader Joe's is providing the snacks, while Trees for Tucson and Desert Survivors donated the native plants.

Watershed Management Group (WMG), a Tucson-based nonprofit whose mission is to improve people’s lives through grassroots projects that integrate community development and conservation, is leading the design and implementation of the workshops.

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