TUCSON, Ariz. (KGUN) — A new Federal report suggests cities like Tucson may have to brace for getting less water from the Colorado River. A complex near Houghton and Drexel is part of the city’s solution to that. The city pumps treated wastewater into basins and allows it to trickle down into underground storage. The city says that is part of its buffer for the future.
Most people turn on the tap without a lot of thought about where the water came from—and whether it will always be there when they want it.
Arizona is one of seven states that get a large share of their water from the Colorado River.
The canals of the Central Arizona Project carry river water to Phoenix and Tucson.
But high demand from years of growth and low rainfall from years of drought have the Federal Government’s latest environmental statement warning the lower basin states of Arizona, California and Nevada they could face large cuts in the amount of water they get.
Tucson Water Director John Kmiec says Tucson has worked for years to hedge its bets against Colorado River cutbacks..
“It started in the early 70s when we started when the city started to purchase agricultural lands in Avra Valley and around the area for water rights in the future. We've developed a reclaimed water system that's more than 40 years old that uses a drop of water more than once for your large turf uses. We've protected our groundwater as much as possible while at the same time importing Colorado River water the last 25 plus years and storing it underground.”
U of A GeoSciences professor Karl Flessa says he’s optimistic about our water future but it can not be based on hoping for more of the snow that feeds the Colorado River. He is calling for some of the same sort of steps Tucson is taking.
“I think we're good in the short term. I do think in the long term we do need to conserve more water. We need to anticipate paying more for water. Water reuse is expensive. Desal (seawater with salt removed) water is expensive, and I think it can be said that Tucson's not going to run out of water. It's going to run out of cheap water.”
The Federal Government has not said how much it may reduce what states can take from the Colorado River. But that should come out soon.
