Updates

Access to safe, reliable water is the foundation of public health, economic opportunity and quality of life, and affordability is a key aspect of water accessibility. But most community water systems in Arizona depend on revenue from rate-payers to cover operations and infrastructure costs. Our new report assesses the affordability of tap water rates of over 600 water providers – including publicly-owned systems, Tribal systems and privately-owned systems – to help Arizona communities assess how to balance considerations of affordability with their revenue needs. 

The Yavapai-Apache Nation Water Rights Settlement Agreement is a landmark agreement that resolves the Nation's longstanding water rights claims in the Verde River watershed. 

This explainer explores key aspects of the agreement.

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For over 60 years, the Navajo Nation and Hopi Tribe have been engaged in legal battles to secure their water rights. In May, these Tribes and other parties announced a landmark settlement. If affirmed by Congress, the agreement will end the Tribes’ long struggle for water security.

Part 5: What are the obstacles to augmentation?

A project to move water, change its use, alter its quality or store it is likely to be expensive.

Part 4: Where will we get the water?

Part 3: Who pays for it?

People won’t move to a place if there’s not enough water for their needs. In a place like Arizona, where surface water supplies are relatively scarce, sustainable management of water is a prerequisite to developing a population and an economy.

Part 2: Is Water Augmentation Needed?

As used in this series, water augmentation refers to the effort to secure additional water supplies for current or future users. Development of water supplies has been a human undertaking since time immemorial, and it will likely continue in Arizona to ensure water for future demand.

Part 1: What is water augmentation?
augment (verb): to make greater, more numerous, larger or more intense
augmentation (noun): the act or process of augmenting something
Merriam-Webster.com. Merriam-Webster, 2022.
 

The Kyl Center for Water Policy introduces a new blog series featuring updates on Colorado River, groundwater and other water policy issues in Arizona. The next two years will be pivotal as stakeholders negotiate the reservoir operating rules that dictate Colorado River shortages in our state, and these shortages will impact our groundwater. We will try to bring some clarity through light-hearted updates featuring a movie theme. We hope you enjoy it!

As we work to reduce water use on the post-2026 Colorado River, two paths lie open before us.