Preparing for Much Less Colorado River Water Includes Wise Legislation

The AMWUA cities have been preparing for reduced Colorado River water at the end of this year. That's because the rules for how the water will be shared during shortages among the seven Basin States will soon expire. Planning has become more challenging as the Colorado River crisis has recently worsened due to several factors, including proposed state legislation.

No Agreement Among Basin States and Things Are Getting Worse

The Colorado River is producing 20% less water now than it did at the beginning of this century.  This is a result of a mega-drought combined with a hotter, drier climate, which means less runoff from even average snowpack in the Rocky Mountains. Lake Mead and Lake Powell are already at dangerously low levels, with storage capacity at only 30% full. Adding to an already bad situation is this winter could be the worst ever for the Colorado River Basin. The situation is so serious that water may not be able to flow past the Glen Canyon Dam, and electricity production could stop by the end of this year.

Despite the dire hydrology on the Colorado River, the seven Basin States still have not agreed on how to manage the river after 2026, even after three years of negotiations

Proposed Water Cuts by the Federal Government

To make matters worse, the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation is proposing significant cuts  that still do not stabilize the river system from the dire hydrology. None of those cuts would require the Upper Basin (Colorado, New Mexico, Utah, and Wyoming) to do anything. Instead, Reclamation proposes placing those cuts primarily on the Colorado River water supplied by the Central Arizona Project (CAP) to the AMWUA cities, Tucson, and other municipalities, as well as tribes. This means water allocations for the ten AMWUA cities and other Arizona entities could be cut by 32% to 100%—possibly as soon as next year. The AMWUA cities have been planning for a 20% cut, but these bigger cuts would be disastrous, not just for our economy, but would have devastating ramifications on the national economy.

State Legislation Threatens Funding

While the Colorado River situation is so uncertain, it's frustrating that new state laws are being considered that would prevent cities from raising the money they need to address water cuts. House Bill 4030  and House Concurrent Resolution 2052  would block cities and counties from increasing fees, taxes, or utility rates for five years. This would make it even harder for the ten AMWUA cities and other water providers to adapt to unpredictable water cuts, risking the water security of our communities.

Why City Services Need Flexible Funding

Cities provide essential services such as police, fire protection, emergency medical care, trash collection, street maintenance, parks, libraries, community centers, and water and wastewater services. All require funding, and cities work hard to keep costs low. Water providers must also ensure residents have reliable access and that new businesses can invest in Arizona with confidence that water will be available. To maintain this certainty, we must protect the tools cities use to manage water.

The Importance of Water Security

Water security  is essential for our communities and our economy. Nothing is affordable without it. Water security doesn't just happen—it takes investment and hard work from professionals. Replacing the Colorado River as a water source will cost more and require bigger investments. But, as history shows, investing in water security always brings long-term benefits to our communities.

Take Action to Safeguard Water Security

State lawmakers should support cities in taking necessary actions to keep our communities and economy strong—particularly regarding water security. Please contact your legislator  and ask them to vote NO on House Bill 4030 and House Concurrent Resolution 2052.

For 57 years, the Arizona Municipal Water Users Association has worked to protect our member cities' ability to provide assured, safe, and sustainable water supplies to their communities – Avondale, Chandler, Gilbert, Glendale, Goodyear, Mesa, Peoria, Phoenix, Scottsdale, and Tempe. For more information on water, visit www.amwua.org .