Chandler updates water conservation incentive program with reduced rebates – KTAR News 92.3 FM

Report on Chandler’s Water Conservation Program Revisions and Alignment with Sustainable Development Goals

Executive Summary

The City of Chandler has announced strategic revisions to its water conservation incentive program, scheduled to take effect on January 1, 2026. The amendments are designed to ensure the long-term financial viability of the program while promoting continued public participation in water-saving initiatives. These municipal actions directly support the city’s commitment to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), particularly those concerning water management, sustainable communities, and climate action.

Alignment with Global Sustainability Frameworks

The program revisions are a direct local implementation of global sustainability targets, contributing significantly to the following SDGs:

• SDG 6: Clean Water and Sanitation: By incentivizing the reduction of water-intensive turf, the program directly addresses Target 6.4, which aims to substantially increase water-use efficiency and ensure sustainable freshwater withdrawals to combat water scarcity.
• SDG 11: Sustainable Cities and Communities: The initiative enhances Chandler’s resilience to climate-related hazards such as drought, aligning with Target 11.b to implement integrated policies for climate change adaptation and disaster resilience.
• SDG 12: Responsible Consumption and Production: The program encourages more sustainable consumption patterns by motivating residents and businesses to adopt water-wise landscaping, supporting Target 12.2 on the efficient use of natural resources.
• SDG 13: Climate Action: As a key component of the city’s “drought preparedness plan,” these measures represent a critical climate adaptation strategy, strengthening local capacity to manage the impacts of a changing climate.

Scheduled Program Modifications

The Chandler City Council has approved three primary modifications to the incentive program to extend its reach and manage its funding sustainably.

1. Single-Family Grass Removal Rebate

   This rebate is extended with revised financial parameters to balance incentive with fiscal responsibility, furthering SDG 6 goals at the household level.

   • The rebate per square foot will be reduced from $2.00 to $1.50.
   • The maximum rebate available per household will be lowered from $3,000 to $2,000.

2. Large Landscape Grass Removal Rebate

   This component is extended with a significant adjustment to its cap, encouraging large property owners to contribute to the city’s water conservation targets under SDG 11.

   • The maximum rebate will be reduced from $75,000 to $20,000.

3. Water-Efficient Technology Rebate

   The program is extended to continue promoting technological solutions for water conservation, with policy updates for greater clarity.

   • The policy will be amended to provide specific details regarding installation costs.

Financial Framework and Strategic Outlook

The revisions are a response to the growing popularity of the rebates, particularly after the implementation of Chandler’s drought preparedness plan in October 2023. To ensure the program’s sustainability, overall funding will be adjusted. In accordance with an updated agreement with the Water Infrastructure Finance Authority of Arizona, the city will reduce the rebate program’s funding to $600,000. This fiscal adjustment is a strategic measure to guarantee that the city can continue to support these vital conservation efforts, reinforcing its long-term commitment to responsible resource management and the Sustainable Development Goals.

Analysis of Sustainable Development Goals in the Article

1. Which SDGs are addressed or connected to the issues highlighted in the article?

• SDG 6: Clean Water and Sanitation: The article’s central theme is water conservation through a city-led incentive program. This directly relates to the sustainable management of water resources.
• SDG 11: Sustainable Cities and Communities: The actions described are taken by a city (Chandler) to manage its resources more sustainably and build resilience, which is a core component of creating sustainable urban environments.
• SDG 12: Responsible Consumption and Production: The rebate program encourages residents and businesses to reduce their water consumption, promoting more responsible and efficient use of a natural resource.
• SDG 13: Climate Action: The article explicitly mentions that these conservation efforts are part of a “drought preparedness plan,” which is a direct climate adaptation strategy to build resilience against the impacts of climate change, such as increased drought frequency and severity.

2. What specific targets under those SDGs can be identified based on the article’s content?

• Target 6.4: “By 2030, substantially increase water-use efficiency across all sectors and ensure sustainable withdrawals and supply of freshwater to address water scarcity…” The Chandler program, by incentivizing grass removal and the adoption of water-efficient technology, is a direct effort to increase water-use efficiency in the residential and commercial sectors to address water scarcity issues highlighted by the drought plan.
• Target 11.b: “By 2020, substantially increase the number of cities and human settlements adopting and implementing integrated policies and plans towards… resource efficiency, mitigation and adaptation to climate change, resilience to disasters…” The article describes Chandler’s “drought preparedness plan” and its associated incentive programs, which is a clear example of an integrated city-level plan for resource efficiency and climate adaptation.
• Target 12.2: “By 2030, achieve the sustainable management and efficient use of natural resources.” The water conservation rebates are designed to promote the efficient use of water, a critical natural resource, aligning directly with this target.
• Target 13.1: “Strengthen resilience and adaptive capacity to climate-related hazards and natural disasters in all countries.” The city’s “drought preparedness plan” is a policy measure aimed at strengthening Chandler’s resilience and adaptive capacity to the climate-related hazard of drought.

3. Are there any indicators mentioned or implied in the article that can be used to measure progress towards the identified targets?

While the article does not mention official SDG indicators, it provides several data points and concepts that can serve as practical, localized indicators to measure progress:

• Financial Incentives as Policy Indicators: The specific rebate amounts serve as indicators of the city’s commitment and policy adjustments.
  • The reduction in the single-family grass removal rebate from $2.00 to $1.50 per square foot.
  • The change in the maximum rebate for single-family homes (from $3,000 to $2,000) and large landscapes (from $75,000 to $20,000).
  • The total funding allocated for the “water efficient technology rebate” ($600,000).
• Program Implementation as a Process Indicator: The existence and continuation of the incentive programs under the “drought preparedness plan” is an indicator of a city actively implementing policies for climate adaptation and resource efficiency (relevant to Targets 11.b and 13.1).
• Participation Rate as an Impact Indicator (Implied): The article states that the grass removal rebates “began growing in popularity,” implying that the number of participants or the total area of grass removed are key metrics the city uses to gauge the program’s success. This would be a direct measure of progress in increasing water-use efficiency (Target 6.4).

4. Table of SDGs, Targets, and Indicators

Source: ktar.com