How do we know a water crisis is coming?

Assured Water Supply User Population Estimated 2000 Pumpage (Potable) af 2000 Central Arizona Project Allocation Effluent Allocation Assured Water Supply Designation MDWID44,0298,6338,858Yes Town of Oro Valley34,1539,0856,748Yes Community Water of G. V.15,2862,4481,337 Green Valley Water Co.4,7572,2251,900 Arizona Water Co.4, Hub Water Co.4,0561,105 Marana Municipal Water3, Yes Las Quintas Serenas3, Vail Water Co (Del Lago)2, Yes Voyager Water Co.2, Farmers Water Co.2, Sauhuarita Village Rancho Sahurita8516 TOTAL PUMPAGE -- AF38,942

How much water do we need? Current usage = 59,000 acre feet (af)  FICO 24,000 – 27,000 af  PD Sierrita 26,000 – 29,000 af  Golf Courses 3,600 af  Municipal 3,800 af (both Sahuarita and Green Valley)

How much do we have? Total recharge of 28,000 af per year  Natural storm water 19,000 af  FICO incidental 7,000 af  Effluent 2,100 af  GWRD 650 af

This is a deficit This is a deficit of 31,000 acre of 31,000 acre feet per year feet per year

Solutions = more water  CAP (Colorado River) water ( Note: 5,408 acre feet will cover the municipal use of Green Valley and Sahaurita if it is filtered and piped directly. However, we still have the danger of subsidence as the aquifer continues to deplete at 2-3 ft per year.  Storm/rain water  Wastewater  Pump less water = eliminate heaviest usage

Issues with CAP water  Water Quality – must be filtered –TDS = 800 mg/ltr –Radioactive chemicals from Uranium tailings??  Allocations  High cost of delivery –Pipeline –Capital costs –Delivery costs –Interest on loan –Maintenance –Filtering

CAP Allocations  Water Companies Community Water Co. = 2,858 af Green Valley Water Co. = 1,900 af  Phelps Dodge = 0 (declined 8,549 af)  Park Company = 4,444 af (terminated)  FICO (Pecans) = 0 (declined 1.39%)  Golf Courses = 0  GWRD = 650 af Total allocations = 5,408 Total allocations = 5,408

Grandfathered water rights  FICO = 34,700 acre feet per year  Phelps Dodge = 37,900 acre feet per year  Public = 0 Question: Who passed out this water when they didn’t even know how much water was available?

Storm water  Storm water is free  Storm water is relatively clean  Soil is a great water filter of bacteria, virus, but not dissolved solids or chemicals (CAP). Issues Issues  How can we collect it efficiently?  Surface water rights  Collect in strategic locations

COSTS  CAP water = $30 million for 5,000 af of allocations for initial set-up (full recommended plan)  Microbasins with dry wells: –Basin construction = $15,000 –Dry well = $15,000 –2 projects with 2 wells each = $90 thousand for approx. several thousand feet??

Possible Actions  Moratorium on building until water plan is in place (11-833)  All HOA’s required to use xeriscaping  File for surface water rights for public  Golf courses install drywells in low-lying areas  Microbasins w/dry wells to capture storm water  Storm-water Reservoirs in Santa Rita Mountains  Inflatable dams in washes  Stop Pima County from scouring out washes  Fish barriers = Bureau of Reclamation  Purchase pecan groves and convert to desert-landscaped park w/recharge basins

Now, water is an issue….. If we wait until it is critical, it will be too late.