Community Gardens

garden with landscaping in background

Do you represent or belong to a community garden in Tucson?

Tucson Water offers more affordable water rates to our community gardens to support local, community agriculture. 

To be eligible, a garden must:

  • Be within the Tucson Water Service Area
  • Meet the definition of a community garden. Community gardens are defined in the City of Tucson Unified Development Code (Article 11.3.2.B) as “An area of land operated not-for-profit to grow and harvest food crops primarily for the use of its members who typically cultivate individual garden plots.” 

Qualifying customers can apply to receive a garden water rate if they have a designated irrigation meter providing water to the garden only. For customers without an irrigation meter, this program will provide financing to install a designated irrigation meter for garden watering. Once the irrigation meter is installed, the customer will be eligible to receive the garden water rate. 

Community Garden Rates and Fees

If you are interested in starting a community garden on a vacant lot, please check out the City of Tucson’s Brownfields Revolving Loan Fund that provides environmental assessments to aid redevelopment.

Community Garden Pilot Program Application(PDF, 227KB)

Frequently Asked Questions about the Pilot Program(PDF, 193KB)

For questions, and for cost and payback estimates, email conservation@tucsonaz.gov or call the Conservation & Stormwater Resources Office at (520) 791-4331.

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