Twenty-two wells have been approved for re-drilling or have already been completed for Cochise County residents under an $11 million groundwater settlement reached earlier this year, according to a news release from the Arizona Attorney General's Office.
Attorney General Kris Mayes announced the update Monday, saying the 22 requests represent the vast majority of applications received so far from residents affected by declining groundwater levels in the Sulphur Springs Valley.
The assistance stems from a settlement with Riverview LLP announced in January 2026. The Attorney General's Office described the agreement as the first of its kind in Arizona and the nation.
Under the settlement, Riverview agreed to provide $11 million for well drilling, water hauling and groundwater access for affected residents.
The company also agreed to fallow or transition 2,000 acres of irrigated farmland over 12 years in an effort to reduce groundwater use in the region.
"This is exactly the kind of support our state’s rural communities deserve to see, and I'm proud that just months into this agreement, twenty-two families in Cochise County have new wells and access to groundwater because of it," Mayes said.
Mayes also credited Riverview with complying with the agreement and said she hopes the assistance continues in the coming years.
The settlement requires Riverview to submit periodic reports to the Attorney General's Office. The state says it will continue monitoring the company's groundwater conservation efforts and its financial commitments to affected residents.
Residents of the Sulphur Springs Valley who have been affected by declining groundwater levels may be eligible for assistance with well drilling or water hauling.
