TUCSON, Ariz. - A longtime water conservation advocate says Arizona and the other Lower Colorado River Basin states need to cut their water use more and faster.
The Arizona Daily Star reports Sustainable Waters president Brian Richter says Arizona, California, and Nevada need to slash total water use by 18% from their 2000-2018 average to bring Lakes Mead and Powell into a long-term state of balance.
He says the decrease would push the river's falling reservoirs into sustainability.
His remarks come despite last year's approval by all Colorado River basin states of a drought plan that will reduce water use some but not nearly that much in the short term.
