The Secure Water Arizona Program will allow participating cities to use a reserve of water or make agreements to buy it from other jurisdictions.
The cities of Phoenix and Tucson are creating a new, voluntary water sharing system designed to help Arizona cities in emergencies, reports Alex Hager for KJZZ.
"The program, which will be called the 'Secure Water Arizona Program' or 'SWAP' will create an emergency reserve of water and connect cities that are interested in buying and selling water from other cities and businesses," Hager explains.
Cities who join the program would be able to use a pool of reserve water to ensure their taps don't go dry in short-term emergencies or make agreements to purchase water from agricultural districts, mining companies, or other cities.
The plan is in part a response to a high-profile 2023 incident when Rio Verde Foothills, a community north of Scottsdale, ran out of water and had to have it delivered by trucks. A similar crisis would be less likely to happen in other Arizona cities, which, unlike Rio Verde Foothills, have traditional water delivery systems.
But the reserve could help towns like Cave Creek, which gets 95% of its water from the Colorado River and faces cuts of 50% as new restrictions kick in. "Instead of building a new system of wells and pipelines to bring that water to Cave Creek, the town is planning to enter an agreement with the city of Phoenix and two other nearby cities that would help keep water flowing for five to eight years."
Read the full story: As Arizona faces Colorado River cuts, Phoenix and Tucson set up a system for cities to share water
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