sustainability

Tucson’s grey water ordinance promotes greener desert, wise water use

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Washer17-sm72by Pamela Powers Hannley

In 2008, the City of Tucson passed a grey water ordinance requiring new homes to include a stub-out to enable grey water usage. 

Four years later, City of Tucson Development Services Manager Ernie Duate wants the City Council to march backwards and dump the ordinance. Why? Because homebuilders are whining. Grey water plumbing can add $600-1000 to the cost of a new home. On a $150,000 home, that's 0.04% to 0.06% of the cost. According to home builders, that extra cost prices people out of the housing market. (In some ways, this story is similar to the dirty coal story I published yesterday because capitalists are lobbying government to lessen or eliminate envrionmental laws.) 

Duarte also claims that no one wants the grey water piping. According to the Arizona Daily Star, more than 800 homes have been built with grey water piping since 2008 and not one homeowner has come to Development Services and paid the $800-1000 permit fee to complete the grey water installation. Many Tucsonans have "grey water system" like mine, pictured here. It is amazing how much water gushes out of that old washing machine's hose during just one load of wash. (I wish I had the piping in my house.) 

I take issue with Duarte's claim that no one wants grey water piping. What happened to the US and Tucson economies since 2008? The housing and financial markets colapsed. Millions of people lost their jobs and their homes. Tucson became the most empoverished city in the Sun Belt. People who still own homes are just trying to keep them. Just because no one volunteered to pay an extra $1000 to install grey water doesn't mean that no one installed grey water or that no one wants it. More wrangling after the jump.

Rothschild proposes transforming Congress St. into pedestrian mall

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Mall3000web

by Pamela Powers Hannley

If you want to read about Mayor Jonathan Rothschild's latest big idea for downtown Tucson, don't look for it online — except here at The Blog for Arizona. The Arizona Daily Star published Rothschild's brain storm only in the "dead tree" editon, dooming it to the recycle bin tomorrow morning. 

As the light rail tracks are laid on Congress Street, Rothschild is proposing converting Congress into a pedestrian mall. I think this is a GREAT idea, and I also think that the Star— which is beholden to a certain wealthy car dealer for most of its print advertising– is trying to bury the idea by putting it in the print-only edition.  

Rothschild says that a pedestrian-only Congress Street will complement the modern street car, the new apartments and dorms downtown, the businesses, and the music/art scene. He's spot on, in my opinion. Alluding to Denver's 16th Street Mall– pictured here– Rothschild goes on to say, "Where it works, it's a great attraction."

In the past, some Congress Street business owners have lobbied to increase traffic congestion on Congress by proposing that it be converted to two-way traffic. Somehow they equated more congestion with more business. (Luckily, the City Council didn't fall for that one.) On the contrary, I think reducing traffic congestion and promoting foot traffic, light rail, and bicycles would be good for business, good for downtown, and good for the citizens of Tucson. 

With several cousins in the Denver area, I have spent quite a bit of time there. The ambiance of Denver's 16th Street Mall is relaxed and eclectic. The light rail comes in from the suburbs, right passed the Denver Convention Center and the famous blue bear statue, and glides through the pedestrian mall, which is dotted with cafes, outdoor seating, trees, trendy retail shops, and hotels. It is the perfect place for people sip wine or coffee and watch the scene. There are also bicycle rentals downtown to facilitate taking the light rail.

Allowing customers to move freely around Congress Street without worrying about dodging cars promotes a symbiotic relationship among the entertainment, retail, and food venues downtown. A pedestrian mall on Congress would be business-friendly, arts-friendly, tourist-friendly, and more sustainable and less congested than the current car-based downtown.  Dream big. Let's do it, Mr. Mayor. 

More photos after the jump.