 |
ARIZONA STATE SENATE
Fifty-Seventh Legislature, First Regular Session
conservation requirements; industrial water use
Purpose
Requires the Director of the Arizona Department of Water Resources (ADWR), by January 1, 2026, to include in an Active Management Area (AMA) management plan for each qualifying AMA, conservation requirements for industrial uses that are within and outside of the service area of a designated service provider and that meet outlined conditions.
Background
The Director of ADWR must develop a management plan for each initial AMA for each of five management periods. The plans must include a continuing mandatory conservation program for all people withdrawing, distributing or receiving groundwater designed to achieve reductions in withdrawals of groundwater (A.R.S. § 45-563).
Not later than two years after the designation of a subsequent AMA, the Director of ADWR must promulgate an initial management plan for the AMA and may provide for subsequent management plans to be promulgated during the time set for achieving the management goal. If the Director of ADWR determines that active management is necessary to preserve the existing supply of groundwater for future needs or that land subsidence or fissuring is endangering property or potential groundwater storage capacity, the Director of ADWR must include measures for reducing groundwater withdrawals in developing the plan (A.R.S. § 45-569).
Industrial
use means a non-irrigation use of water not supplied by a city, town or
private water company, including animal industry use and expanded animal
industry use (A.R.S.
§ 45-561).
There is no anticipated fiscal impact to the state General Fund associated with this legislation.
Provisions
1. Requires the Director of ADWR, by January 1, 2026, to include in an AMA management plan for each qualifying AMA, conservation requirements for industrial uses that are within and outside of the service area of a designated service provider and that:
a) beginning on the general effective date, are not subject to any conservation requirements for industrial uses greater than a requirement to submit a plan to improve the efficiency of water use by the facility pursuant to an AMA plan; and
b) use greater than 100 acre-feet of water per year.
2. Prohibits a management plan, ADWR, any political subdivision of Arizona or any modifications to a management plan from requiring a person who uses water for an industrial use to:
a) obtain a certificate of assured water supply;
b) develop within the service area of a municipal provider as having an assured water supply; or
c) enroll as a member land in a multi-county water conservation district.
3. Requires the outlined conservation requirements to include on-site water reuse, recycling and efficiency requirements.
4. Defines qualifying AMA as an AMA where the Legislature specifically authorized the establishment of an alternative path to designation of assured water supply and an agricultural to municipal use program.
5. Becomes effective on the general effective date.
House Action
NREW 2/14/25 DP 6-3-0-1
3rd Read 2/26/25 33-27-0
Prepared by Senate Research
March 20, 2025
SB/ci