Mayor Greg Stanton and the Phoenix City Council today unanimously approved a new partnership with the City of Avondale to recharge Colorado River water and improve water resiliency and sustainability for both Valley cities.
Phoenix has become a recognized leader in innovative water resiliency partnerships and pursued a policy of recharging a portion of its Colorado River water for future shortage conditions since 2014. The City is now working to replicate the success of the Tucson agreement in the Phoenix metropolitan area beginning with Avondale.
“This partnership with Avondale, and others like it, helps secure a long-term water supply for all our residents and protects our growing regional economy,” said Mayor Greg Stanton. “These innovative agreements show how cities can find creative ways to protect our future water supply and guard against continued drought and climate change.”
“The City of Avondale has, for many years, maintained a high level of water quality and supply for its residents resulting in a strong water portfolio,” said Avondale Mayor Kenneth Weise. “We also understand the benefit that comes from valuable partnerships, and how supporting regional efforts serve to strengthen the Phoenix-metro area as a whole. This agreement is a perfect example of how we can work together to help protect our natural resources throughout the Valley.”
Under the agreement, Avondale will take delivery of its treated Colorado River water through a Phoenix interconnect. In a separate agreement, Phoenix will store a portion of its Colorado River water allocation in Avondale’s aquifers, helping to improve the overall health and vitality of aquifers in the Phoenix metropolitan area.
During future times of shortage, Avondale can pump water stored by Phoenix, and exchange the pumped water for an equal amount of Avondale’s Colorado River water delivered to Phoenix through the Central Arizona Project aqueduct.
The agreement will include the option to store up to 1,800 acre-feet or 586 million gallons of water through the end of 2017, and up to 5,000 acre-feet or 1.6 billion gallons of Phoenix’s Colorado River water in 2018.
This local partnership provides benefits of resiliency and sustainability to both cities. Phoenix will secure a location to store additional volumes of water that can be retrieved through exchange, and Avondale, which has a water system that relies primarily on groundwater, will benefit through increased volumes of water in its aquifers.
The Avondale partnership along with the City’s historic Colorado River conservation agreement, the Colorado River Resiliency Fund and the Phoenix-Tucson exchange are prime examples of creative approaches to water management that the City must undertake to guarantee its water future for generations to come.
“Now more than ever we must work collaboratively with other Valley cities to find long-range water supply solutions,” said Councilwoman Thelda Williams, Chair of the Arizona Municipal Water Users Association. “Phoenix’s agreement with Avondale is a smart example of working together to safeguard against continued drought on the Colorado River.
“It doesn’t take an expert to see that water is our most precious resource. As climate change continues to impact us, we will need creative solutions that ensure a steady supply for generations to come,” said Councilwoman Kate Gallego. “Resiliency partnerships like this one show that cities will continue to lead the way on sustainability.”
“The City of Phoenix and the region share a proud history in confronting our water supply challenges and successfully partnering to meet the needs of our agricultural, industrial, and domestic water users,” said Councilman Daniel Valenzuela. “I’ve worked closely with neighboring cities through the Arizona League of Cities and WESTMARC, encouraging regional solutions to common challenges. Our agreement with the City of Avondale is a solution-oriented approach to ensure that sufficient and dependable water supplies are available for the long-term economic stability of the region.”
“It’s imperative that we continue to find creative, innovative solutions with our neighboring cities in the region to secure a long-term water supply for future generations,” said Councilman Michael Nowakowski. “This partnership is an excellent example of building upon the success of the Phoenix-Tucson water exchange to help improve water resiliency and sustainability in the Phoenix metro area.”
“Local collaboration is key to resilient water supply planning, which is vital for both Phoenix and Avondale’s future,” said Councilwoman Debra Stark. “As someone who understands the importance of long-term planning, the City’s agreement with Avondale is a smart partnership that benefits both cities.”
