Sources of water for Phoenix lake and waterfront home communities
Many visitors are amazed that Phoenix has lake communities and waterfront homes since Arizona is in fact a desert. The next question is obviously, “Where does the water come from?”. Isn’t this a waste of scarce water resources? And if you own a waterfront home in one of the Phoenix lake communities, don’t you want to know the source of the water next to your lot? This may turn out to be another criteria in your search for a waterfront home. If you are interested in the answers to these questions, read on.
The uses of Watershed water, Well water and Reclaimed water in lake communities
If you are interested in owning a waterfront home, knowing the type of water that you’ll be viewing each day may be of interest to you. There are basically three alternatives; 1) Well water, 2) Water from a Watershed, or 3) Reclaimed water. The earlier a lake community was developed, the greater the likelihood that the lake water source could be well or Watershed water. Well Water: Lake communities that use well water are older communities possibly with inherited water rights. An incomplete list of lake commmunities that use well water are Leisure World in Mesa, Dawn and Viewpoint lakes in Sun City, Oakwood Lakes in Chandler, Desert Harbor in Peoria, Scottsdale Ranch, Lakewood in Ahwatukee, and valley water ski communities. An obvious difference will be the clarity of the water compared to reclaimed water 
lakes.
Ahwatukee Area Waterfront Homes
Scottsdate Ranch Luxury Waterfront Homes
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Watershed Water: The Salt River Project (SRP) conveys surface water from the Verde River and Salt River watersheds. The SRP system is composed of six dams, 1,300 miles of canals. A partial list, many in Gilbert, includes Val Vista Lakes, The Islands, Stonebridge Lakes, The Lakes of Tempe, and in Chandler; The Springs and Pecos Ranch, and Garden Lakes and Crystal Gardens in Avondale.
The Lakes in Tempe Waterfront Homes
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Reclaimed Water: The most recent lake communities use reclaimed water. A piece of legislation, ARS 45-132 was a major influence in the use of reclaimed water for Phoenix lake communities. Chandler is one of the biggest producers of reclaimed water which is used in those communities that belong to the Ocotillo Community Association which includes 167 acres of interconnected lakes. This includes such Chandler communities as Ocotillo, Ocotillo Lakes, Embarcadero, Vistas at Ocotillo, Cantabria Shores, Balboa Point and The Peninsula. Other communities include Arrowhead Ranch and Sun Lakes.
Arrowhead Lakes Waterfront Homes
If you are interested in receiving up to date homes for sale in lake communities via e-mail, click on send me waterfront homes. To confirm the type of water used in any lake community, call the HOA and ask for someone that is familiar with the community.
Phoenix man made lakes have their own eco-system
Regardless of the water source for Phoenix area lake communities, a balanced biological ecosystem must exist for each body of water. Instead of vast amounts of chemicals, this is done naturally through the use of specific breeds of fish. Phoenix man made lakes use fish such as Israeli carp and goldfish which control grass and algae. Koi fish help control mosquitos, while catfish eat dead fish carcuss. Other fish used in balancing these biological ecosystems include blue gill, sunfish and bass. The Lakes in Tempe spends $10,000 every year stocking fish in their lakes which include bass, catfish, trout, tilapia, sunfish and bluegill according to Christine Baldanza, the community manager.
Most HOA’s do allow community residents to fish in the lakes while most are catch and release. Some require a permit, some don’t. It is best to check with the community HOA for specific guidelines.
Related Posts:
Ocotillo lakes behind the scenes
Boating in Phoenix man made lake communities
Water Quality in Phoenix Az. Water Ski Communities
Arrowhead Ranch Community Profile
Gilbert waterfront homes for sale
Gilbert Waterfront and Lake Communities
