Governor Doug Ducey has vetoed two bills that would have rolled back rules protecting Arizona’s groundwater supplies.
On Monday, Ducey had been under increasing pressure to veto the two bills that would have made it easier for developers to build subdivisions. Water managers and elected leaders had raised concerns that loosening regulations is the last thing the governor should do given the current drought along the Colorado River and the prospect of cutbacks in Arizona’s share of that water.
The legislation would have only applied to two counties-– Cochise and Yuma. Both are outside the areas of central Arizona where groundwater is more heavily regulated. It’s currently required that a developer prove they have an adequate supply of water before building.
The bills would have let cities in those counties get out of that requirement.
