Phoenix, AZ- Today, the Governor’s Water Policy Council submitted a suite of recommendations to Governor Hobbs to protect the state’s water future and address challenges in urban and rural Arizona.

The Council’s submission includes proposals to close loopholes to protect consumers throughout Arizona and improve Arizona’s Assured Water Supply Program to promote sustainable growth and responsible groundwater usage in urban areas. The Council has also proposed reforms to groundwater management in rural Arizona to safeguard rural communities and water users after decades of inaction.

“I brought together a bipartisan group of Arizonans including the business community, developers, farmers, tribal leaders, legislators, and more with the  expectation they would develop common sense solutions to our most pressing water policy challenges,” said Governor Katie Hobbs. “I am pleased that the Council has risen to the task, and in six short months of hard work, compromise, and dedication we have a set of recommendations designed to increase water security and ensure continued economic growth in urban and rural Arizona. Over the coming months, I’m confident that we will come together and continue in Arizona’s long tradition of responsible water management that has allowed our state to thrive.”

“These recommendations are the product of a transparent public process that has incorporated input from stakeholders across the spectrum of Arizona’s water community,” said Arizona Department of Water Resources Director and Council Chair Tom Buschatzke. “Groundwater is one of Arizona’s most precious resources, and these efforts from the Governor’s Water Policy Council will continue to build upon our legacy of responsible water management.”

Governor Hobbs’ Water Policy Council is a bipartisan group of experts representing agriculture, water providers, tribes, executive agency cabinet officers, cities, the business community, industry, conservation organizations, university experts, the Arizona legislature, and more. 

The full set of recommendations submitted by the Governor’s Water Policy Council can be found below.

More information on the Governor’s Water Policy Council can be found at: https://www.azwater.gov/gwpc.