Phoenix Has A New Tool for Fighting Water Waste — And It Starts In The Bathroom

PHOENIX, AZ — Phoenix is installing smart sensors in toilets at a city-operated affordable housing complex to catch leaks before they drain thousands of gallons of water unnoticed, part of a growing push to stretch the city's water supply as Colorado River shortages loom.

The new program at Fillmore Gardens, a city-operated affordable housing community, brings together the Phoenix Water Services and Housing departments alongside private partners Pacific Institute, Sensor Industries and Target.

The sensors connect to a digital monitoring platform that flags abnormal toilet behavior and alerts maintenance staff in real time, allowing repairs to happen faster than they would if residents had to notice and report a problem themselves.

According to the U.S. Geological Survey, a single leaking toilet can waste thousands of gallons of water each year if left undetected. Across a large multifamily housing community, that adds up quickly.

"Small leaks can lead to significant water loss over time, especially across large multifamily housing communities," said Phoenix Water Resources Management Advisor Max Wilson. "This technology allows us to detect problems quickly, respond faster and prevent water from being wasted."

Building on an Earlier Pilot

The Fillmore Gardens installation is not the city's first experiment with the technology. Phoenix launched a similar pilot at Sunnyslope Manor, another city-operated housing community, in 2023.

City officials said that project demonstrated the potential for smart leak detection to reduce water waste and improve maintenance efficiency, laying the groundwork for the Fillmore Gardens expansion.

Mayor Kate Gallego connected the effort to Phoenix's longer-term water planning, particularly around Colorado River supplies and ongoing drought conditions. "We're leveraging smart technology to fix leaks, reduce costs and protect our most precious resource," Gallego said. "Every drop matters in the desert."

Vice Mayor Kesha Hodge Washington framed the project as part of a broader conservation commitment that runs across city departments. "By identifying leaks earlier and improving maintenance efficiency, we are protecting valuable water resources while helping reduce unnecessary costs at our housing properties," Hodge Washington said.

Part of a Bigger Strategy

The toilet sensor program is one piece of a larger conservation push that includes water infrastructure investments, advanced purification planning and operational technologies aimed at improving efficiency across the city.

For Phoenix, where water sustainability is less a policy talking point than a daily operational reality, the bet is that small fixes in the right places can add up to something significant.