Conservation successes, such as xeriscape and low-flow plumping fixtures, have been offset by other factors, including cheap water, rising incomes, increased home ownership, pools, and new ways to use water around the house. Most golf courses are still being irrigated with groundwater, and the amount of water used per hole has not declined. Water rates have not increased over the last 35 years, when adjusted for inflation. Disposal of industrial wastes, landfills and dumps have contaminated groundwater in some areas and made recharging the aquifer more difficult in others. Corrosivity of drinking water is the result of several factors, but it can be reduced by various control measures.
Scenarios show there is no simple way to reach sustainability.
Even if growth were halted and all agriculture were eliminated, the aquifer would still be over drafted. If we continue to grow, but switch all mining and agriculture to CAP water, the aquifer would still be overdrafted. Achieving sustainability requires a mixed strategy of increasing use of renewable water supplies and controlling demand. Developing community consensus on how to arrive at a sustainable water supply requires that technical experts, citizens and elected officials play their respected roles. This same site also contains a searchable database on current water-related research being conducted throughout the University of Arizona.