Buckeye and Queen Creek can now access groundwater from a farming area in western Phoenix.
The move comes after officials from the Department of Water Resources approved the first-ever legal transfer of water from rural Arizona to cities.
The agreement will allow the communities of Buckeye and Queen Creek to withdraw up to 5,926 acre-feet per year and 5,000 acre-feet per year, respectively from the Harquahala basin.
Still, the question remains as to whether this is a permanent solution.
Sarah Porter is the director of the Kyl Center for Water Policy at Arizona State University. She says this inter-basin transfer isn't a total answer to ensuring that Arizona has enough water to continue to grow.
"Increasingly, I think there's a recognition that we need to find some other water supplies."
The agreement is authorized for up to 110 years, enough to serve more than 30,000 homes.
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The state’s two largest fires, the Sycamore and Pocket fires, are approaching containment. But state officials warn that risks could persist as monsoon activity is beginning to pick up. -
The combined amount of water in Lake Powell and Lake Mead is now the lowest it has been in nearly 70 years. -
Environmental advocates argue that new water-sharing rules can and should keep the river flowing for plants, animals, people and infrastructure. -
An important measuring site called the Charleston gage recently measured zero flow in the river. Experts say it's due to climate change and groundwater pumping. -
Scottsdale Mayor Lisa Borowsky said they’re taking a major step toward securing their long-term water outlook by directing their city manager and city attorney to potentially create a large water use ordinance for the city.
