Stage 2 Drought Plan Calls for Five Percent Water Cut

Expect quiet neighborhood streets early this morning until marching bands take over Third Street for the Veterans Day procession.

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The Lead

City officials announced Tuesday evening that Phoenix will elevate its Drought Management Plan to Stage 2 this coming January, responding to deeper mandatory reductions in Colorado River deliveries. The declaration urges households and businesses to voluntarily trim water consumption by 5 percent, while municipal departments must cut their own usage by 10 percent. Under the updated framework, the city will activate backup groundwater wells, expand rebate programs for desert landscaping, and introduce temporary drought surcharges designed to curb heavy discretionary outdoor watering. Water managers stress that domestic taps remain completely reliable and safe, framing the shift as a necessary operational pivot away from river allocations that have anchored the Valley for generations. The city council takes up the formal surcharge schedule and final conservation benchmarks during its next public work session.

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Local Pulse

• Valley Metro Operates on Adjusted Weekday Schedule Transit Local buses and light rail run weekday routes today, but riders should note Express and RAPID buses do not operate.

• County Regional Parks Waive Fees for Veterans Parks Active service members and military veterans receive free vehicle day-use entry at all regional county parks throughout Wednesday.

• Holiday Trash Collection Runs on Regular Schedule City Hall Curbside trash and recycling routes run normally today, though both municipal transfer stations remain closed until Thursday morning.

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Today's Outlook

• High 84°F · Low 58°F — Clear
  • Grab a light jacket for the morning commute before sunny skies warm the afternoon.

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What's On Around Town

Today

• Phoenix Veterans Day Parade Third Street, 11:00 AM–1:00 PM · Free Marching bands, floats, and community honor guard entries along the new corridor.

• Veterans Day Gourd Dance & Community Potluck S'edav Va'aki Museum (4619 E Washington St), 11:00 AM–4:00 PM · Free Traditional intertribal social dances honoring Indigenous service members and their families.

• East Valley Veterans Parade Center Street and University Drive, Mesa, 11:00 AM–1:00 PM · Free Downtown procession featuring military units, patriotic floats, and high school bands.

• The Smashing Pumpkins: The Rats In A Cage Tour Mortgage Matchup Center (201 E Jefferson St), 8:00 PM · $48–294 Two-set performance marking the thirtieth anniversary of Mellon Collie and hits.

Tomorrow

• Canal Convergence: Western Nature Scottsdale Waterfront, Scottsdale, 6:00–9:00 PM · Free
• The Other Art Fair Opening Night On Jackson (245 E Jackson St), 6:00–10:00 PM · $18–45
• The Phoenix Symphony: Brahms Serenade No. 1 Musical Instrument Museum (4725 E Mayo Blvd), 7:30 PM · Paid

Friday

• Dino's Git-Down Custom Truck Show State Farm Stadium (1 Cardinals Dr), Glendale, 9:00 AM–7:00 PM · Free
• Hondo Rodeo Fest: Round One Chase Field, Noon · Paid
• The Other Art Fair: Friday Late On Jackson (245 E Jackson St), 5:00–10:00 PM · $18–45

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Spotlight & Story

• Encanto Park Lagoon
  • Tucked beside 15th Avenue, this 7.5-acre serpentine waterway looks purely ornamental, but Works Progress Administration crews hand-excavated its caliche basin in 1935 as a gravity-fed irrigation reservoir. Underground gates still siphon water off the historic Grand Canal to replenish its six-foot-deep channels.

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Phoenix Daily Digest — compiled from local sources every morning. For breaking updates, follow your local newsrooms.

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