Arizona’s water future is coming down to more than how much Colorado River water the state receives. It is also about whether communities can store, treat, move, and protect the water they already have.
KTAR reported that residents in McMullen Valley are pushing for a special election to designate the rural western Arizona basin as an Active Management Area. An AMA would allow the area to regulate groundwater pumping where supplies are limited.
The effort is being led by the McMullen Valley Water Defenders PAC, which is collecting signatures to place the question before local voters. The group is concerned about groundwater pumping, outside investment, and the possibility of water being moved out of the basin for use elsewhere. KTAR reported that an Arizona Department of Water Resources report found the McMullen Valley aquifer is in deficit, with more water being taken out than replaced.
Groundwater protection is becoming more important as Colorado River supplies shrink. If less water comes through the Central Arizona Project canal, more communities may look to groundwater, stored water, and local wells. That makes rural groundwater basins a larger part of Arizona’s water conversation.
At the same time, Valley cities are preparing for less Colorado River water. KJZZ reported that most people in metro Phoenix may not notice immediate day-to-day changes when cuts begin because cities have spent years developing backup supplies. Those supplies include Salt and Verde River water, groundwater, and water stored underground for dry years.
But KJZZ also reported that residents may notice the cost. Cities are building expensive infrastructure to manage future shortages, including water purification facilities, wells, and other projects. Phoenix, for example, is investing more than $300 million in one advanced water purification facility that would clean wastewater to safe drinking water standards.
Gilbert is also preparing. ABC15 reported that about 41% of Gilbert’s water portfolio comes from the Colorado River, and the town expects to lose about 20% of that supply if the Lower Basin proposal is adopted for 2027 and 2028. Gilbert said the cuts could move the town into Stage 2 of its water shortage plan as early as Jan. 1, 2027.
ABC15 reported that Gilbert is investing in the North Water Treatment Plant expansion and eight new wells. The town said its conservation programs saved 459 million gallons in 2025, but future infrastructure needs could still lead to higher water rates.
Tucson is also investing in water security, but from a different angle. KGUN reported that Gov. Katie Hobbs and Tucson Mayor Regina Romero cut the ribbon on an expanded PFAS water treatment facility on Tucson’s west side. The Tucson Airport Remediation Project is designed to protect groundwater and strengthen the city’s locally controlled water supply as Colorado River cuts approach.
KGUN reported that the $25 million project was funded through the American Rescue Plan Act. The expanded facility treats water affected by PFAS and reduces those chemicals to non-detectable levels before the water is used for parks and golf courses.
The Arizona water discussion is also reaching planning and development. AZ Big Media reported that the new federal Colorado River plan will require Arizona to reduce water use by 760,000 acre-feet in 2027 and 2028, while California reduces by about 440,000 acre-feet and Nevada by 50,000 acre-feet. The article said the plan is less aggressive than earlier federal proposals, but it still puts Arizona’s long-term planning to the test.
AZ Big Media also reported that Arizona’s challenge is not only drought. It is the gap between snowpack and runoff. In recent years, snowpack has sometimes been near average, but runoff into the river system has often been far lower. That means less precipitation is making it into rivers, reservoirs, and dams.
These reports show that Arizona’s water response is becoming more local and more expensive. Cities are building wells and treatment plants. Tucson is cleaning contaminated groundwater. Rural residents are pushing for stronger groundwater rules. Water providers are preparing for less Colorado River water, but the costs and impacts will not be the same everywhere.
What does this mean for CRIT?
This Brief shows why water planning must include more than federal shortage numbers.
CRIT holds senior Colorado River rights, which puts the Tribe in a different position than many users that depend on junior-priority Central Arizona Project water. Still, the larger Arizona water system matters because shortages can shift attention toward groundwater, infrastructure, conservation, and new water-supply projects.
The McMullen Valley reporting is important because rural groundwater basins can face pressure when other areas look for backup supplies. For CRIT, regional groundwater policy remains important to follow because it can shape future development, agriculture, and water-transfer discussions in western Arizona.
The Phoenix, Gilbert, and Tucson stories also show that water security depends on infrastructure. Cities are investing in wells, treatment plants, purification facilities, and stored water because having water on paper is not enough. Communities need the ability to access, clean, and deliver that water when conditions change.
Sources
KTAR News
https://ktar.com/arizona-water-news/mcmullen-valley-ama-groundwater
ABC15 Arizona
https://www.abc15.com/news/region-southeast-valley/gilbert/gilbert-prepares-for-less-colorado-river-water-as-2027-cuts-loom
KGUN ABC 9 Tucson
https://www.kgun9.com/news/community-inspired-journalism/westside-news/arizona-governor-tucson-mayor-cut-ribbon-on-expanded-pfas-water-treatment-facilit
AZ Big Media
https://azbigmedia.com/business/heres-how-water-cuts-will-put-arizona-planning-to-the-test/