Arizona governor, Tucson mayor cut ribbon on expanded PFAS water treatment facility

TUCSON, Ariz. (KGUN) — Gov. Katie Hobbs and Tucson Mayor Regina Romero cut the ribbon on an expanded water treatment facility on the city's west side, completing the Tucson Airport Remediation Project, known as TARP, and marking a new expansion for Tucson's water resiliency plans.

The expansion comes as a 30% cut to Arizona's water from the Colorado River looms, set to go into effect Jan. 1.

"We cannot wait to secure long-term stability for Arizona's water future. For starters in a river basin for seven states in is unacceptable that only the three lower basin states are offering to conserve water as part of the solution," Hobbs said.

The expanded facility treats water used for parks and golf courses, which typically contains PFAS — a man-made chemical that can be dangerous to consume.Officials say the treatment reduces PFAS levels to a non-detectable state.

"No other Colorado River state has done as much as Arizona to conserve water for the benefit of the basin, and I will not rest and I will not back down when it comes to fighting for Arizona's water," Hobbs said.

The project is funded by the American Rescue Plan Act. According to a media release, $25 million aims to protect critical groundwater resources while strengthening Tucson's locally controlled water supply.

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