On Wednesday, October 11, 2017, Mayor Mark S. Nexsen, along with Briana Morgan, Lake Havasu City’s Water Conservation Specialist and Dr. Doyle Wilson, Lake Havasu City’s Water Resource Coordinator, presented The Shops at Lake Havasu with a Certificate of Recognition for their water conservation efforts in reducing their irrigation consumption by 42% from 2014 to present. The Shops at Lake Havasu is the third recipient to earn the award this year. 

While sitting on the board of The Partnership for Economic Development, The Shops at Lake Havasu Property Manager, Michelle Misurelli, became familiar the Pillar 4 Water Conservation component of the Vision 20/20 Plan.  Together with Mark Sinek, Operations Manager, they felt the need to take a more proactive approach as one of the area’s largest commercial properties with manicured landscaped areas; specifically, finding that perfect balance between being good water stewards and providing the pleasant, welcoming atmosphere of a first class shopping center.

With that in mind, The Shops at Lake Havasu started working on creating a more drought friendly landscape.  During construction, the original developer utilized a landscaper out of Las Vegas, Nevada.  Although Las Vegas and Lake Havasu City have similar climates, the plant material installed survived but never really thrived.  Over the last two years, they began thinning out the plant material that was weak; and in some cases, replanting species more adapted to the Lake Havasu City area. 

The shopping center’s efforts were overseen by Brad Dodd, local landscaper and owner of Asics Landscaping and Mark Sinek.  Misurelli stated “Our efforts have paid off and to date we have witnessed a decrease in water consumption by 42%.   We still have some fine tuning.  But overall Mark and I are pleased with the progress.  And when you think of a property of this size that’s significant savings.” 

If you would like to nominate a business, a group or an individual for conservation efforts, contact Lake Havasu City’s Water Conservation Specialist, Briana Morgan, at 928-855-2618.

Attachments: Photo from Event