Abstract Apache Junction is a small, dusty desert city on the outskirts of Phoenix, Arizona. Here, residents live with a mix of water systems. In its various urban, suburban, and peri-rural neighborhoods, some households enjoy water from a centralized and (mostly) reliable service, from either the city or (at a higher cost) a for-profit private water company. Others are outside of these service zones, and rely on wells, water kiosks, or hauling their water by truck or bicycle. The work is arduous.