page_title: Tucson, Arizona
section_title: Sustainability
hierarchical_section_title: Tucson, Arizona / Infrastructure / Energy / Sustainability
caption_attribution_description: Snowy Santa Catalina Mountains, from the Catalina Foothills — in Pinal County, Arizona.
context_page_description: Tucson is a city in and the county seat of Pima County, Arizona, United States, and is home to the University of Arizona. The 2010 United States Census put the population at 520,116, while the 2015 estimated population of the entire Tucson metropolitan statistical area was 980,263. The Tucson MSA forms part of the larger Tucson-Nogales combined statistical area, with a total population of 1,010,025 as of the 2010 Census. Tucson is the second most-populated city in Arizona behind Phoenix, both of which anchor the Arizona Sun Corridor. The city is 108 miles southeast of Phoenix and 60 mi north of the U.S.–Mexico border. Tucson is the 33rd largest city and the 58th largest metropolitan area in the United States.
  Major incorporated suburbs of Tucson include Oro Valley and Marana northwest of the city, Sahuarita south of the city, and South Tucson in an enclave south of downtown. Communities in the vicinity of Tucson include Casas Adobes, Catalina Foothills, Flowing Wells, Midvale Park, Tanque Verde, Tortolita, and Vail. Towns outside the Tucson metro area include Benson to the southeast, Catalina and Oracle to the north, and Green Valley to the south.
context_section_description: The biggest sustainability problem in Tucson, with its high-desert climate, is a potable water supply. The state manages all water in Arizona through its Arizona Department of Water Resources (ADWR). The primary consumer of water is Agriculture (including golf courses), which consumes about 69% of all water. Municipal (which includes residential use) accounts for about 25% of use. Energy consumption and availability is another sustainability issue. However, with over 300 days of full sun annually, Tucson has demonstrated its potential to be an ideal solar energy producer.
caption: The nearby Santa Catalina Mountains, covered in snow
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