Arizona’s water finance agency took a step toward implementing two projects that could increase the state’s water supply through partnerships with California and Mexico.
The state Water Infrastructure Finance Authority solicited ideas for long-term water augmentation projects last year and is exploring seven proposals. The board voted Wednesday to approve “scopes of work” for two of those proposals.
Ultimately, WIFA doesn’t expect to be able to afford all seven projects, but they’re all on the table for now.
“These are the scopes that actually dictate real work on the ground to give us real answers to the questions we all have, like, ‘How much is this water going to cost? Do we have willing exchange partners and willing stakeholders and partners in the communities where these projects are going to be built?’” WIFA Director Chelsea McGuire said.
The two projects in question were proposed by EPCOR, a utility provider based in Canada.
They would each bring in about 100,000 acre-feet of water to Arizona per year, but would take several years to implement. That’s enough water to serve roughly 600,000 single-family homes.
The two proposals WIFA discussed this week involve potable reuse and groundwater storage.
The plans rely on California and Mexico trading the cost of infrastructure for a share of Colorado River water.
Neither California nor Mexico have said they’ll agree to that yet.
In other words, they have substantial leverage over Arizona in these negotiations.
Water Storage Project
This project would involve Arizona paying to store excess water flows from the Sacramento and San Joaquin rivers and tributaries via the California State Water Project in exchange for some of California’s share of Colorado River water.
The project hinges on California being willing to partner with Arizona and make the “paper exchange” for Colorado River water, an increasingly precious commodity.
With Colorado River negotiations ongoing, it looks like Arizona, Nevada and California will take steep cuts to their shares of the river.
McGuire said WIFA is in discussion with some stakeholders in California, but has no commitments from the state so far for any long-term augmentation projects.
WIFA and EPCOR aim to confirm “stakeholder and partner interest" within the next nine months.
South Bay Potable Water Reuse Project
There is an existing South Bay International Water Treatment plant in southern California close to Mexico. It treats waste from Mexico.
EPCOR’s idea is to expand an aqueduct and get that treated drinking water from southern California and move it southeast to be distributed in Mexicali.
In exchange, Arizona would receive a portion of Mexico’s Colorado River water supply, through another paper exchange.
Another option EPCOR is exploring is building a pipeline straight to Arizona.
Outstanding questions
Arizona is still somewhat early in the process of implementing either of these ideas, or five other augmentation proposals that are still being considered.
At the earliest, the state likely won’t see a drop of water from any of the projects for 10 years.
No one knows how much the state will have to spend to make these projects a reality, or where all that funding will come from.
Chairman Jonathan Lines said seeking federal grants is certainly on the table.
The cost of the water these projects ultimately yield is unknown. It is expected to be more expensive than the water Arizonans currently pay for and receive through the Central Arizona Project.
“We don’t have a number like that. I think it’s safe to say it would be more than $300 an acre-foot that’s being paid for CAP Colorado River water today, and watch what happens to that price when their deliveries get cut in half,” WIFA board member Ted Cooke said.
As for at what point the price of water becomes cost-prohibitive, McGuire said that’s a question for the providers they’re working with.
“We’re asking them those questions at the same time that we're developing those projects so that that answer can inform the off-ramps,” McGuire said.
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