Governor Katie Hobbs is faced with a decision that may offer a lifeline to residents struggling for water. Three separate bills aimed at addressing the water access challenge in these areas have landed on her desk, with the support of Republican lawmaker Gail Griffin. The urgency of the situation is underscored by drying shallow wells, a reality for many living between 100 and 300 feet below the desert’s surface.
According to a statement obtained by the Arizona Legislature, HB2086, led by Griffin, seeks to alleviate the financial burden faced by the rural low- and fixed-income residents. This bill intends to aid the purchase and installation of storage tanks for receiving truck-hauled water when their wells go kaput. Meanwhile, SB1444 allows for the formation of Domestic Water Improvement Districts within certain management areas, primarily to establish a well and standpipe to aid the community water supply. Then there’s HB2274, potentially empowering residents in Cochise County to establish their own Water Improvement District to secure a source of water for those with failing domestic wells.
The synergy of these bills is apparent as they cover both ends of the water supply dilemma. "HB2086 addresses the demand side by ensuring that residents have the storage tanks they need to receive hauled water," Griffin elucidated, whereas "SB1444 addresses the supply side," ensuring the construction of a sufficient well to support water hauling activities. HB2274 is the glue, tying both supply and demand interventions for areas like the Willcox groundwater basin.
Griffin's stance aligns with a pragmatic approach in the interim, as she argues that "No amount of mandatory groundwater reductions will be sufficient to appease the radical Left or provide the immediate relief that domestic well owners want." Moreover, while the Department of Water Resources recognized at least 71 wells drying up in the Willcox basin over a decade, recent attempts to institute volumetric reductions in the basin faced voter rejection and would not remedy the immediate crisis at hand.
Water hauling, although a makeshift solution, enjoys popularity amongst Arizona's rural residents, embracing it across economic strata, from affluent Flagstaff homeowners to the Navajo Nation tribes. The state legislators behind these bills aim to shore up short-term water supplies while continuing to seek broader legislative solutions. As Governor Hobbs considers the signatures, these bills beckon as the most timely and cost-effective means to ensure continued water access for rural Arizonans.
Now the onus rests on Governor Hobbs to make a move that could secure immediate relief—something sorely needed as dry wells continue to undermine the stability of rural communities. According to the Arizona Legislature's recent press release, endorsing these bills may signify Hobbs' commitment to providing prompt and long-term solutions for a parched populace.
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