Elevating Infrastructure with Smart Water

How the City of Safford, Arizona, Modernized Its Metering Infrastructure & Transformed the Approach of Utility Staff

Located roughly 90 miles northeast of Tucson, the City of Safford, Arizona, is a small community where the local economy is driven largely by copper mining. The city and its neighboring communities convey the feel of small town America with desert plains and a mountainous backdrop.

The arid climate of the region of course presents its challenges in the area of water resources and sustainability. The city government of Safford – which consists of a little more than 100 people – owns and operates all utility operations that include water distribution, sewer collection, gas, electric and trash disposal. The water utility operation alone has 21 employees including management. Its 255 miles of water main serve approximately 8,500 customers through about 8,000 water meter connections, all serving a population of about 15,000.