What's the status of water's future in Arizona? Here are 7 things we know
Arizona water leaders met this week to discuss the future of water in the West Valley.
The event, which was hosted by the Western Maricopa Coalition, or WESTMARC, aimed to discuss solutions to water issues, as well as to give attendees a better understanding of the complexity of water.
People from the Arizona Department of Water Resources, local governments and utility companies, like Salt River Project and EPCOR, spoke at the event Wednesday morning.
Here are seven key takeaways.
The Colorado River basin is smaller than it used to be
It’s no secret that Arizona is facing water troubles due to the shrinking Colorado River. While it was once thought that the Colorado River was 15 million to 20 million acre-feet per year, it’s now believed that, after years of drought and climate change, the river has 12 million to 13 million acre-feet per year.
Some estimates even say that number is as low as 9 million to 11 million acre-feet, Brenda Burman, general manager for Central Arizona Project, said. One acre-foot probably serves about three families per year in the West Valley, Burman said.
Colorado River isn’t the only one experiencing problems
The Columbia River system, Sacramento River system and Colorado River basin certainly have some similarities in that economies and millions of people are dependent on each one. But that doesn’t mean each river system is without troubles, Burman said.
The Columbia River is 10 times the size of the Colorado River, Burman said, and also flows through seven states and two countries. The Pacific Northwest is also experiencing a drought, Burman said, although the issues that come along with it often involve flooding.
The Sacramento River is about the same size as the Colorado River with about 15 million acre-feet per year and runs throughout California. The state has seen 200% of normal snowfall as of May 1, which is causing flooding there.
The Metropolitan Water District of Southern California, which is the largest supplier of treated water in the country, received a 100% allocation from the river this year for the first time since 2006. In the last four years, that number has fluctuated from 20% to 5%. That raises concern each year, Burman said, since it’s never certain how much water there will actually be.
Arizona has already seen Colorado River cuts
In a non-shortage year, Arizona has an allocation of 2.8 million acre-feet of water from the Colorado River, Sarah Porter, director of the Kyl Center for Water Policy at Arizona State University, said.
Central Arizona receives 1.6 million acre-feet of water, while 1.2 million acre-feet would be divided among the rest of the state. Much of it goes to Yuma and tribes along Lake Havasu, Porter said.
But the state has already seen cuts to the river. In 2023, Arizona’s allocation was cut by the Bureau of Reclamation by about 21% of its usual allocation, or 592,000 acre-feet. Even still, that’s an 80,000 acre-foot increase from 2022. Nevada and Mexico also saw cuts to their usual allocations.
Taking steps: Feds cut Colorado River allocation for Arizona and Nevada in 2023, citing need for 'urgent action'
Growth isn’t necessarily a driver of shortage
Most of the state’s water use comes from agriculture, Porter said. Municipal water use only comprises 22% of Arizona's water demand, while industrial water use only accounts for 6%.
“Population growth and economic growth are not drivers of shortage,” Porter said.
Water use has actually decreased since 1980 with the creation of the Groundwater Management Act, while the state’s population has grown significantly.
Assured water supply designations are always in flux
Cities can obtain a 100-year assured water designation from the Arizona Department of Water Resources. In cities that don’t have a designation, developers can obtain a certificate from the department. While many cities in the Valley have a designation, two high-growth cities that are working toward their designation include Queen Creek and Buckeye.
Arizona's water crisis: What that means for some metro Phoenix cities
And despite the news of Colorado River water shortages or groundwater being fully allocated, cities still have room to grow.
"Every 15 years or so they are demonstrating, over and over again, that they have a 100-year supply of water for their growth," Porter said.
More cities may consider advanced purification
Phoenix announced last month that it would invest in an advanced water purification facility to use by 2030. The facility would treat wastewater to the point of drinkability.
Underway: Phoenix to build multibillion-dollar purification plant to make wastewater drinkable by 2030
The process is called direct potable reuse. Surprise is already doing indirect potable reuse, which involves treating wastewater and then storing it somewhere before it is again extracted, Michael Boule, director of water resource management for Surprise, said. For example, EPCOR's Luke 303 Regional Water Reclamation Facility in Litchfield Park recharges industrial wastewater to recharge aquifers.
Boule said he believes it will be helpful in order to continue to sustain growth as society warms up to the idea and the technology becomes more accessible. Advanced purification is already being used in places like San Diego and Orange County, Porter said.
What can private utility companies do?
Ron Klawitter, manager of water system projects for Salt River Project, said several water augmentation projects on the Verde River are currently being reviewed. SRP is currently working with 23 funding partners, including almost all of the municipalities in the Valley, to fund the Bureau of Reclamation investigating the possibility of expanding the Bartlett Dam.
The project would nearly double the storage capacity on the Verde River. With the rainfall this year, Klawitter said the proposed capacity of the Bartlett Dam would have been nearly filled. The reservoir would be able to hold about 350,000 additional acre-feet of water, although it wouldn't be a total solution for the West Valley.
Doug Dunham, water resources manager for EPCOR, said there will be a lot of opportunities in the future available for private utility companies to help develop infrastructure and water supplies when it comes to public-private partnerships.
Laura Grignano, manager of the Central Arizona Groundwater Replenishment District for Central Arizona Project, said it has been contemplated for many years that the Central Arizona Project Canal could carry other sources of water. If this comes to fruition, EPCOR would play an essential role in getting the water that's pumped from wells to the canal, Grignano said.
Reach the reporter at ahardle@gannett.com. Follow her on Twitter @AlexandraHardle.
This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: What's the status of water's future in Arizona? 7 things we know
