AMWUA vigorously protects our members’ ability to provide assured, safe, and sustainable water supplies and advocates for Arizona’s continued water security.
Where We Stand On The Issues
Smart water policy and careful planning, investment, and management have enabled AMWUA’s members to build robust, reliable water supplies that support our communities and economy. It is imperative that we continue to address the issues in front of us to ensure the future viability of those supplies. Learn more about some of the issues we are working on:
Where We Stand on Legislation
2017 – Fifty-third Legislature – First Regular Session
Arizona Senate
SB1124: Arizona water protect fund; appropriation
In Brief: Would appropriate $500,000 for FY18 from the state general fund for the Arizona Water Protection Fund.
Sponsor(s): Griffin
Last Action: 2/22/17 – Passed the Senate; 5/01/17 – Passed the House Rules Committee
Description: This bill appropriates $500,000 for fiscal year 2018 from the state general fund for the Arizona Water Protection Fund. The Arizona Water Protection Fund is a state-run program that funds projects to protect and enhance water quality and quantity in Arizona's rivers, streams, and riparian areas. Some of these efforts include revegitation, erosion control, channel stabilization, research, and water conservation. As a result of the benefits of the program to Arizona's water supplies, AMWUA staff recommends supporting the bill.
SB1280: Groundwater; extinguishment credits; Pinal AMA
In Brief: Would increase groundwater mining in the Pinal AMA
Sponsor(s): Smith and four others
Last Action: 2/13/17 – Failed in the Senate Natural Resources, Energy, and Water Committee
Description: This bill would prevent the Director of ADWR from adopting or implementing any rule in the Pinal AMA that would reduce the amount or quantity of credits for the extinguishment of irrigation grandfathered rights to less than the full amount of the right. The bill would be retroactive. This bill would increase groundwater mining in the Pinal AMA. AMWUA opposed an identical version of this bill last legislative session.
Arizona House
HB2231: Desalination; study committee
In Brief: Would create a desalination study committee to look into possible desalination opportunities in Arizona.
Sponsor(s): Shooter
Last Action: Assigned to the House Rules Committee
Description: This bill establishes a nine-member desalination study committee comprising members of the Legislature and subject matter experts. The committee would collect information on desalination within Arizona, review data from desalting plants in operation, and study opportunities for desalination projects in Arizona. Some have expressed the concern that this bill potentially dilutes the efforts and purpose of the Governor's Water Augmentation Council.
HB2112: Multi-county water district; directors; elections
In Brief: Would prevent a CAP employee or a CAP employee’s spouse from serving on the CAWCD Board of Directors.
Sponsor(s): Finchem and 8 others
Last Action: 4/26/17 – Passed the Senate as amended; 5/8/17 – Passed the House; 5/10/17 – Signed by the Governor
Description: This bill changes the requirements for a person to serve on the board of directors for multi-county water districts such as the Central Arizona Project. This bill would essentially prevent a CAP employee or the spouse of a CAP employee from serving on the Board of Directors. On March 13th, this bill was amended in committee to remove a requirement that would have required candidates for the CAP Board to have their party designation denoted on the ballot for elections.
HB2330: Water augmentation systems; tax credit
In Brief: Would create a tax credit for the installation of a residential rainwater harvesting system or a residential graywater system.
Sponsor(s): Campbell and two others
Last Action: 2/15/17 – Passed out of the House Ways and Means Committee
Description: This bill introduces a tax credit for the installation of a "Residential Water Augmentation System," which is defined as either a rainwater harvesting system or a residential graywater system. The tax credit is equal to 25 percent of the cost of the system up to a maximum of $1,000. The tax credit would be available from December 31, 2017 through January 1, 2026. The bill limits the annual amount for the tax credit that the state can allow to $250,000. A similar tax credit for graywater systems was effective for tax years 2007 through 2011, although some have questioned how effective it was at incentivizing graywater use. AMWUA staff recommends supporting this bill as a means of encouraging efforts to reuse and conserve water.
The AMWUA Press Room
Media ContactLatest News
AZ Central
Our View: What Arizona's water leaders really need from youEditorial: Jeff Flake and Doug Ducey are doing what needs to be done to secure Arizona's water future. But they can't act alone.
AZ Central
Allhands: Yes, you should drink beer made from recycled waterCan people taste the difference in beer made from recycled water? The results of our taste test weren’t what we thought.
Arizona Capitol Times
Water policy remake stirs fight unlike others in state historyConflicts between the Department of Water Resources and CAP demonstrate why an intervention was needed to clarify agency roles
AZ Central
Kevin Moran, AZ I See It: Water crisis averted on the Colorado River? Not so fastConservation has delayed a shortage declaration, but the Colorado River still faces huge challenges.
KJZZ
Now on tap: Arizona beers made from purified wastewaterThere’s quite a bit of science in brewing, and it starts with the water.
Arizona Daily Star
The ground's not sinking much in Tucson anymoreThe ground is stabilizing under Tucson and Phoenix, but sinking faster than ever under many rural farming areas around the state.
Arizona Daily Star
CAP-California water deal that Arizona nixed provokes ongoing conflictCAP plan would have relinquished 60,000 acre-feet of 75,000 buffer in Lake Mead to CA, putting AZ at risk of going into shortage.
WRAL
Former Interior secretary pushed Arizona to enact water lawFormer U.S. Interior Secretary Cecil Andrus, who died Thursday in Idaho, was a key player in Arizona's passage of a landmark 1980 water law.
Circle of Blue
When It Comes To Water Service How Expensive Is Too Expensive?City of Phoenix is testing an analytical approach developed that incorporates disposable income and local wages to address the question of affordability
AZ Central
Wet winter refreshed SRP's reservoirs, bringing them to 68 percent total capacityReservoirs have improved, but officials are warning that the drought cycle "isn't over”.
