Pima County is charting a course towards a wetter, more sustainable future, one that is less about hope and more about strategy, driving home the point that water is not just life, but a resource that demands careful governance and innovation. In an era where climate change exacerbates water scarcity, the County's Water Working Group (WWG), formed in 2022 and representing over eight departments, is tasked with a mission that can no longer be postponed—crafting a water plan that transcends mere policy; it must be a blueprint for survival.
According to a memo released in February, the WWG is digging into the specifics of water priorities, focusing on scarcity and degradation, while embracing alternative methods for water use and collection, such as reuse which is a burgeoning field of hope in the battle against drought, its expected that a new plan, representative of County operational strategies and long-term priorities, will emerge for consideration by year's end. This plan will not only reflect the County's commitment to water use and conservation but will also fall in step with broader strategies like the Pima Prospers Water Policy and CAPCO, knitting together a tapestry of regional cooperation.
A core emphasis for the WWG is the reduction of water consumption across County infrastructures and public spaces, where every drop saved counts in the arid Southwest landscape. For the County's buildings, facilities, turf, and landscapes, the mandate is clear: adapt or thirst. And policy isn't being overlooked by the group—a series of modifications are being sought to ensure County operations flow in harmony with regional water strategies.
Not merely content with conservation, the WWG is also spearheading initiatives in restoration, pointing to pioneering efforts like the El Vado Food Forest, which could herald a new dawn for how communities interact with water, and latter could be described as a living laboratory of water-smart agriculture. Now, as Pima County sits on the precipice of adopting a water plan that could redefine its relationship with this precious commodity the hope is that what springs forth will nourish a parched land and a thirsty populace eager for solutions, and perhaps even inspiration.
