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Urban Metabolism and the Energy-Water Nexus in Phoenix, Arizona

AI-generated Abstract

Water is a necessary component for life and can be a constraining factor to growth when quantities are limited. This is especially true in highly populated desert regions, which must then import substantial amounts water to support the population. Finding solutions to water limitations through either conservation or additional water acquisitions will be essential to the futures of these desert communities. This report is the culmination of a course project focused on the water use in Phoenix, Arizona. Water trends are analyzed looking at sector consumption over time, as well as through more innovative methods such as detailing imbedded water associated with urban infrastructure and calculating the co-dependence of power plants and water provisioning. Primarily, this report contains the initial water data (reported from cities) as well as basic calculations and methodologies of assessing life cycle components of water consumption. Some comparisons are drawn between different cities in the metropolitan area. Additionally, damage costs were calculated for some aspects of water use to give an idea of the consequences associated with water use that must be mitigated.