Every day, hundreds of thousands of drivers travel Phoenix-area freeways lined with desert trees, shrubs and cactuses. Few likely consider what it takes to keep those landscapes alive, or how much water it requires. A new partnership between Arizona State University and the Arizona Department of Transportation is taking a closer look. Led by Harry Cooper, director of water conservation innovation for the Arizona Water Innovation Initiative … the ADOT Urban Freeway Landscape Water Use Efficiency Project aims to better understand how much water is used to irrigate freeway landscapes, and how to use less while keeping plants healthy.

Other water conservation news:

• Arizona Business Magazine: Sponsored opinion: Managing Arizona’s most precious resource – TSMC Arizona’s thoughtful plan for managing water use