Managing rural groundwater use goal of state official
Will new urgency around Arizona’s water woes lead to more action on the decades-old issue? Arizona Department of Water Resources Director Tom Buschatzke said he thinks so, and there’s a few specific things he has in mind for the next few years under new Gov. Katie Hobbs.
Neighbors sue Arizona city to restore water cut in drought
Residents of a community just outside Scottsdale are feuding with the city they long depended on for water now that the city has cut off their supply, saying it needs to guarantee there is enough for its own residents amid a deep, long-lasting drought.
Hobbs pivots water focus to conservation
Gov. Katie Hobbs wants to expand groundwater conservation efforts in Arizona’s rural areas.
Hobbs calls for more money for public schools, oversight for charters in first State of the State
Gov. Katie Hobbs is putting education at the top of her agenda for 2023. In her State of the State address on Monday afternoon, Democrat Hobbs said she wants to lift a spending cap that could kneecap public schools, increase funding for public education – specifically teacher pay – and improve oversight of non-district schools that receive public money.
Vertical farm in Avondale promotes sustainability, technology, water conservation
Imagine a farm that grows crops on platforms in a controlled environment, uses 99% less water than a traditional farm and grows seasonal produce year-round – all without soil or anyone driving a tractor. This is the goal of OnePointOne, a 12,000-square-foot “vertical farm” in an Avondale industrial park. Water is an existential issue for Arizona, with the two major reservoirs on the Colorado[...]
Education funding, election issues expected to be among most contentious issues in session
The 2023 legislative session is being brought to you by the letter E. As in education funding and election issues. These promise to be among the most contentious issues as lawmakers return to the Capitol on Monday.
Environmentalists prioritize water in wake of cuts
Representatives from several groups announced their environmental priorities for the 2023 legislative session, focusing on water and discouraging desalination in the wake of Colorado River cuts.
Biden signs water bills benefiting 3 tribes in Arizona
President Joe Biden has approved three bills that will improve access to water for three tribes in Arizona amid an unrelenting drought.
Interview: Public education and housing issues top Hobbs’ priorities for first session
The 2023 legislative session is set to start next week and will usher in a new era of divided government, with the governor's office occupied by Democratic Gov. Katie Hobbs and the legislative chambers both controlled by Republican majorities. Hobbs sat down with the Arizona Capitol Times on Wednesday to talk about her goals for the upcoming session.
Water reductions for new year may be just the beginning, experts say
Experts say few Arizona residents will notice any immediate change to the availability of water in their daily lives now that steep cuts are in effect on the amount of water the state can draw from the Colorado River. But that does not mean they can relax.
Arizona restricts farming to protect groundwater supply
The Arizona Department of Water Resources this week put a limit on the amount of land that can be watered, designating the Hualapai Valley as an irrigation non-expansion area. That means anyone who hasn't farmed more than 2 acres there during the past five years can't.
Ducey’s desalination plan clears first hurdle
A plan pushed by Gov. Doug Ducey to use desalinated seawater to address Arizona’s water woes crossed a major hurdle today. Despite transparency concerns from lawmakers, the Water Infrastructure Finance Authority board unanimously approved a resolution today directing the board chairman and staff to begin discussions with IDE Technologies, an Israeli company planning to build a desalination plant[...]