Large Quantity Water User Ordinance Amendment

At a glance

• What: Amendment to Chapter 27 of Tucson Code (Ordinance 12188) to revise the Large Quantity Water User Ordinance following ad hoc committee review. Council debated the CCF (hundred cubic feet) threshold at which mandatory reporting and conservation measures apply.
• Where it stands: Ordinance 12272 adopted September 22, 2026, with threshold set at 8,500 CCF and a 120-day requirement for staff to develop a comprehensive water conservation plan.
• Next: City staff to return with conservation plan analysis and Mayor and Council review.

Debate

• Initial motion by Kevin Dahl proposed lowering the threshold from 10,000 CCF to 5,000 CCF and requiring Tucson Water to notify Mayor and Council when large water users exceed their allotted amounts and trigger the 120% cap.
• Nikki Lee offered a substitute motion to amend the threshold to 8,500 CCF instead (a compromise between 10,000 and 5,000) and require staff to return within 120 days with details on a potential water conservation plan for users meeting the 5,000 CCF threshold, including:
  • Analysis of thresholds used by comparable cities with similar needs
  • Anticipated water use by different types of development
  • Threshold recommendations
  • Notification procedures when larger water users exceed their threshold
• Paul Cunningham, Kevin Dahl, and Miranda Schubert dissented from the substitute motion; Council approved the substitute motion 4-3 and adopted it as Ordinance 12272.

Public speakers

• At the public hearing: Catlo Shipek, Margo Itule, Nick Maya, Ivy Schwartz, Florence N. Johnson, Elena Ortiz, Carl B. Freeman, and J.P. Salvatierra

Sources

• Mayor and Council regular meeting minutes, September 22, 2026: https://tucsonaz.hylandcloud.com/221agendaonline/Documents/DownloadFile/Mayor___Council_-_Regular_1959_Minutes_9_22_2026_5_30_00_PM.pdf?documentType=2&meetingId=1959
• City of Tucson official video: https://youtube.com/watch?v=w2V8bzVA6RU

Log

2026-09-22 - Mayor and Council

Public hearing held. Kevin Dahl moved to amend ordinance with 5,000 CCF threshold; Nikki Lee offered substitute motion for 8,500 CCF threshold and 120-day staff report requirement. Vote to accept substitute motion as main motion: 4-3 (Paul Cunningham, Kevin Dahl, Miranda Schubert dissenting). Ordinance 12272 adopted on the substitute motion, 4-3.