Tucson resident Gilbert Guillen could have made his swimming pool operational again but didn't want to spend the water, time and money to do so. He had it filled with nearly 20,000 pounds of soil and the surface is now an extension of his backyard.
A backyard swimming pool is a huge draw for many people buying a house in our hot Sonoran Desert, but not everyone is ready to dive into this lifestyle.
According to local water experts, about one in six residents with a backyard pool is thinking about doing away with their oasis due to financial costs or environmental concerns.
Experts estimate the typical home requires tens of thousands of gallons of water annually, and costs thousands of dollars to operate, maintain or repair.
With these issues in mind, Tucson Water, Oro Valley Water, Marana Water and Metro Water have established a website, www.poolremovalhelp.org that provides tips and information about the process.
The coalition will also hold workshops for residents who may be interested in giving up these backyard features.
Tucson resident Gilbert Guillen believes the program is a terrific idea.
When he bought his house in the 1990s, the backyard pool had been covered with a deck and ramada but had been left intact in case the new owners wanted to bring it back to life.
Guillen says he wasn't interested when thinking about additional costs, work, headaches, and the impact on the environment.
"We are in the desert, our rainfall has been declining over the last decades. I remember the heavy, heavy rainfalls and we just don't see that anymore, doesn't happen," he says.
"Rainfall is declining and we're looking at water scarcity, and how do we maintain a population this size without water?" he asks.
After moving into their midtown house, Guillen and his partner enjoyed the backyard structures as they had been constructed but eventually they looked into repairs and improvements.
"When we moved in we used the ramada and the deck for many years and then I decided it was time to replace the deck. In the process of taking apart the existing deck we discovered the pool was full of what was probably rain water and a great breeding ground for mosquitoes," Guillen recalls.
So he and his partner decided to scrap the deck and ramada idea and found someone to fill in the pool with soil to create additional surface space in their backyard.
"Eighteen tons of soil," says Guillen. "That's what I was told."
VIEW LARGER Tucson resident Gilbert Guillen could have made his swimming pool operational again but didn't want to spend the water, time and money to do so. He had it filled with nearly 20,000 pounds of soil and the surface is now an extension of his backyard. Currently, Guillen has patio furniture on top of the soil where you can still see the kidney-shaped contour of the pool, and he's thinking about planting a tree on that site.
Regardless, he's glad he got rid of his pool many years ago, before the "pool removal help" program came on the scene.
"I'm very happy that I did this. No regrets."
VIEW LARGER Water departments in southern Arizona say typical backyard pools cost thousands of dollars to operate each year while using tens of thousands of gallons annually. 
VIEW LARGER Water departments in southern Arizona say typical backyard pools cost thousands of dollars to operate each year while using tens of thousands of gallons annually. 
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