Sahuarita's Water Use Rules: The Rules That Matter

Every city handles water use rules a little differently. In Sahuarita, Arizona, there are 2 distinct rules that residents and property owners should be aware of. Some are stricter than what neighboring cities enforce, and others are more relaxed. Here is what you need to know.

Recycled Water Rules

Sahuarita's landscaping performance standards encourage reclaimed water for irrigation rather than requiring it. Town Code § 18.73.030(H)(3) directs landscape plans to include a written statement on the feasibility of using reclaimed water, covering cost-effectiveness, potential sources and availability, while § 18.73.030(H)(2) requires water-conserving underground irrigation with stormwater harvesting and drip irrigation as the preferred methods.

Key details: Reclaimed water: Encouraged, not mandated, for irrigation. Feasibility statement: Required on every landscape plan. Statement must cover: Cost-effectiveness, sources and availability. Irrigation system: Water-conserving underground system required. Preferred methods: Stormwater harvesting and drip irrigation.

Planning and building rejects incomplete landscape plan submittals under STC § 18.73.060(C), and a plan missing the reclaimed-water feasibility statement required by § 18.73.030(H)(3) can be returned as incomplete, delaying the development plan or building permit it supports. Because § 18.73.060(E) ties final landscaping completion to the certificate of occupancy, an unresolved irrigation-plan defect can also delay occupancy.

If you are coming from a city with tighter rules, you will find Sahuarita gives residents more flexibility on recycled water rules.

Turf Replacement Rebates

Sahuarita's landscaping code bans turf grass under Town Code § 18.73.030(G)(2), with exceptions for town public parks, multi-neighborhood private parks, private schools and golf courses. Private parks serving a single neighborhood or multifamily development are capped at 15 percent turf coverage. The planning and building department enforces the ban through landscape plan review before any development plan or building permit is approved.

Key details: Default rule: Turf grass is prohibited citywide. Exceptions: Public parks, multi-neighborhood private parks, schools, golf courses. Single-neighborhood park cap: 15 percent of total park area. Groundcover mix rule: Inorganic groundcovers capped at two-thirds of area. Large turf areas: Over 10 acres regulated by ADWR, not town.

A landscape plan that shows prohibited turf outside the five exempt categories will be rejected by planning and building during the completeness and compliance review required under STC § 18.73.060(C)-(D), stalling the development plan, final plat or building permit tied to it. Because § 18.73.060(E) requires landscaping to be finished before the town issues a final certificate of occupancy, unresolved turf violations can hold up occupancy of the finished building itself.

This is one of the stricter rules in Sahuarita's municipal code. If you are unsure whether your situation complies, it is worth checking with the city before proceeding.

The Bottom Line

Sahuarita's water use rules rules are a mixed bag. Some areas are strict, others are relaxed, and the details matter. The best approach is to check the specific rule that applies to your situation rather than assuming Sahuarita is broadly strict or permissive.

These rules come from Sahuarita's publicly available municipal code. For complete penalty schedules, exemption details, and answers to common questions, see the individual ordinance pages throughout this guide.