February 22, 2021
PHOENIX – Today, the Water for Arizona Coalition thanked Arizona Gov. Doug Ducey, Rep. Gail Griffin, House Speaker Rusty Bowers, and Sen. Kirsten Engel as well as others for their leadership in passing HB2056.
Under the new policy, which was sponsored by Rep. Griffin, individual water users will be able to voluntarily divert less river water onto their property through efficiency and conservation measures if they file a water conservation plan with the Arizona Department of Water Resources. Users who choose to conserve water under such plans will no longer face the risk that their water rights will be forfeited or abandoned under the “use it or lose it” provision of Arizona water law. That will ultimately boost water conservation, free up water supplies for other essential uses, and help support flowing rivers in the state.
In response to the rare unanimous support for this bipartisan conservation legislation, the Water for Arizona Coalition issued the following statement:
“In challenging times, water is what unites us. It fills our cups, irrigates our fields, supports wildlife and powers our economy. It’s heartening to see this vitally important legislation receive unanimous bipartisan support in the Arizona Legislature. Now, farmers, ranchers and other water users will no longer need to choose between preserving their own water rights and conserving water to benefit their community. They can do both at the same time. By continuing to work together and build on this success, we can make progress to achieve true water security, ensuring reliable long-term water supplies for all people, economies and our ecosystems, including the rivers, streams and springs that support all life in Arizona.”
About the Water for Arizona Coalition
The Water for Arizona Coalition is a community of Arizonans who support innovative practices and smart policies to ensure a reliable water supply to meet the state’s needs. The Coalition was recently recognized as an Arizona Capitol Times “2020 Leader of the Year” for their efforts in protecting Arizona’s most valuable resource. Organizational support is provided by solution-oriented groups like American Rivers, Audubon Arizona, Business for Water Stewardship, Environmental Defense Action Fund, and Western Resource Advocates that collectively have over 60,000 Arizona members, as well as hundreds of hunters, anglers, and outdoor recreation enthusiasts across the state. Kevin Moran, a longtime Arizonan and former government relations consultant, is the Chairman of the Coalition.
Contact
Jamie Trafficanda, 720-763-3737, jamie@westernresources.org
