With growth in the West Valley threatened by the possibility of insufficient water supply and infrastructure, a variety of experts and agencies are examining solutions to head off the problem.
The U.S. Bureau of Reclamation and West Valley Water Association estimated earlier this year the West Valley will need an additional range of between 15.3 billion and 84.7 billion gallons (47,000-260,000 acre-feet) of new water annually by 2060 to meet its predicted growth. The Arizona Department of Water Resources has also issued a study saying there is not enough groundwater for future development.
The West Valley has been a hotbed of growth in recent years, including water-intensive manufacturing operations and several major master-planned communities and other residential developments.
Among the solutions officials and experts are discussing is increasing renewal water supplies to offset groundwater depletion, increasing water reclamation, adding improved infrastructure efficiencies, changing water management policies and enhancing local partnerships.
Officials also stress that water usage will have to become a higher priority as municipalities consider individual development projects.
Cities and agencies are already working on collaborative solutions to address the growing crisis, including a plan by the City of Phoenix to build a multi-billion-dollar plant to convert effluent water into drinking water and a Central Arizona Project plan to use the canal system to bring recovered water from near Tonopah via pilot recovery wells. Various municipalities have also been conserving excess water and acquiring new water rights over the years.
There also are incentivization programs coming online for homebuilders to minimize water demands, such as the Water Efficient Construction Incentive Program through the Central Arizona Groundwater Replenishment District. (Source)