Under a new program developed by Arizona’s water department, West Valley housing developers have access to a new water provider.
Democratic Gov. Katie Hobbs announced that EPCOR is the first company operating in Arizona to receive an Alternative Designation of Assured Water Supply, or ADAWS.
ADAWS went into effect in November and serves as a pathway for providers to prove they have enough water to last an area for 100 years.
In EPCOR’s case, their designation proves they have enough water to supply an estimated 60,000 new homes spanning roughly 120 square miles in the West Valley. That’s a boon for homebuilders, who’ve faced a moratorium on new construction in cities like Buckeye and Surprise, where groundwater levels are low.
Hobbs said the alternative designation allows water companies to prove they have an adequate supply from a variety of sources — in EPCOR’s case, a combination of groundwater and sources like Lake Pleasant and the Colorado River.
“This ADAWS designation is going to save water, it is going to support sustainable economic growth, and it is going to create more housing,” Hobbs said.
Under the new program, EPCOR will have to renew its designation in the West Valley every 10 years.
EPCOR Senior Vice President of Regulated Water Sean Bradford touted the designation’s impact not just on development, but on Arizona’s water reserves.
“Becoming designated truly creates total accountability for the replenishment of our water portfolio, leaving us close to a net neutral impact on Arizona's groundwater resources,” he said.
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